Los Angeles Superior Court Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

Parties must jointly prepare four sets of tabbed, paginated, numerically organized exhibits in three-ring binders, with one-sided documentary exhibit copies.

The parties’ counsel and any self-represented parties shall work together to jointly prepare four sets of tabbed, internally paginated by document, and properly marked exhibits, organized numerically in three-ring binders (a set for the court, a set for the Judicial Assistant, and a set for the witnesses) (“Exhibit Binders”). Copies of documentary exhibits shall be one-sided copies.

CRITICAL

The Trial Binder must consist of one-sided conformed copies tabbed and organized in a three-ring binder.

consisting of one-sided, conformed copies, tabbed and organized in a three-ring binder with a table of contents

CRITICAL

The Motions in Limine Binder must contain one-sided conformed copies in three-ring binders, tabbed in numerical order with opposition and reply papers placed behind each motion and tabs separating moving, opposition, and reply papers.

The Motions in Limine Binder shall include one-sided, conformed copies of all motions in limine, opposition papers, and reply papers, organized in one or more three-ring binders, tabbed in numerical order with the opposition papers and reply papers for each motion placed directly behind the moving papers with a tab separating the moving, opposition, and reply papers.

CRITICAL

Counsel and self-represented parties must jointly prepare four sets of tabbed, internally paginated, properly marked exhibits organized numerically in three-ring binders (for the court, the Judicial Assistant, and the witnesses).

The parties’ counsel and any self-represented parties shall work together to jointly prepare four sets of tabbed, internally paginated by document, and properly-marked exhibits, organized numerically in three-ring binders (a set for the court, a set for the Judicial Assistant, and a set for the witnesses) (“Exhibit Binders”).

CRITICAL

The Motions in Limine Binder must contain one-sided conformed copies of all motions in limine, opposition, and reply papers, organized in tabbed three-ring binders in numerical order with opposition and reply papers placed directly behind the moving papers.

The Motions in Limine Binder shall include one-sided, conformed copies of all motions in limine, opposition papers, and reply papers, organized in one or more three-ring binders, tabbed in numerical order with the opposition papers and reply papers for each motion placed directly behind the moving papers with tabs separating the moving, opposition, and reply

CRITICALCivil cases

If there are more than five motions in limine, the parties must submit a separate notebook containing the motions.

If there are more than five motions in limine, the parties must submit a separate notebook containing the motion,

CRITICALCivil cases

In court trials, all trial documents must be tabbed and placed in a notebook that includes a table of contents.

All the trial documents must be tabbed and placed in a notebook that includes a table of contents.

CRITICAL

Trial counsel must submit typed jury instructions on perforated paper with all titles above the perforation.

TRIAL COUNSEL MUST SUBMIT TYPED JURY INSTRUCTIONS ON PERFORATED PAPER. ALL TITLES MUST BE ABOVE THE PERFORATION.

CRITICALCivil cases

Exhibits must be pre-marked with Arabic numerals, and each page of multi-page exhibits must be numbered sequentially.

Pursuant to Local Rules 3.52 and 3.53, the exhibits must be pre-marked using Arabic numerals and in instances where exhibits consist of multiple pages, each page must be numbered sequentially.

WARNING

In matters with voluminous documentary evidence, parties should Bates stamp all exhibit pages using one consecutive numbering sequence across the entire submission rather than restarting with each exhibit.

In matters involving lengthy exhibits, business records, contracts, account statements, or other voluminous documentary evidence, parties should Bates stamp all exhibit pages using a single, consecutive numbering sequence throughout the entire submission, rather than restarting the numbering with each exhibit.

WARNING

Trial exhibit binders must be tabbed, internally paginated by document, properly marked and identified as trial exhibits, and organized numerically in three-ring binders.

Exhibit binders must be tabbed, internally paginated by document, and properly marked and identified as trial exhibits, organized numerically in three-ring binders.

WARNING

Exhibits must be bate stamped and tabbed with exhibit numbers matching the joint exhibit list.

Exhibits must be bate stamped and tabbed with exhibit numbers that correspond to those on the joint exhibit list.

WARNINGCivil cases

Motions in limine must be ordered with plaintiff's papers first followed by defendant's, separated by numbered tabs, with colored sheets of paper between the motion and opposition and between the opposition and any reply.

Whether in a separate binder or Tab B, Plainti ’s should come first, followed by those of Defendant. There should be numbered tabs separating each motion and colored sheets of paper between the motion and any opposition and between the opposition and any reply.

WARNINGCivil cases

The trial binder must be tabbed and organized in the specified order: Tab A Trial Briefs, Tab B Motions in Limine, Tab C Joint Statement of the Case, Tab D Joint Witness List, Tab E Joint List of Jury Instructions, Tab F Full Text Jury Instructions, and Tab G Verdict Forms.

The trial binder shall be organized as follows: Tab A: Trial Briefs Tab B: Motions in Limine Tab C: Joint Statement of the Case Tab D: Joint Witness List Tab E: Joint List of Jury Instructions (joint and contested) Tab F: Full Text Jury Instructions Tab G: Joint and/or Contested Verdict Forms

WARNING

The MIL notebook must include a Table of Contents and tab dividers separating each numbered motion and its corresponding opposition and reply.

The notebook must have both a Table of Contents and tab dividers to separate each numbered motion and its corresponding opposition and reply.

WARNING

Trial binders must be tabbed, organized into 3-ring binders, and contain a Table of Contents in the front of each binder.

containing the required trial documents, tabbed and organized into 3-ring binders, with a Table of Contents in the front of each binder

WARNING

pages, it should have a “-“ (dash) delineating each page. For example, if Exhibit 1 consists of 3 pages, it would be numbered as follows: Exhibit 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3.

pages, it should have a “-“ (dash) delineating each page. For example, if Exhibit 1 consists of 3 pages, it would be numbered as follows: Exhibit 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3.

WARNING

Format

DOCX

An electronic version of the jury instructions in Word format must be submitted on a thumb drive.

Please submit an electronic version of the jury instructions in Word format in a thumb drive.

WARNING

Proposed jury instructions should be divided into two packages separated by a colored sheet of paper: agreed-upon instructions and disputed instructions.

The instructions should be divided into two packages separated by a colored sheet of paper: those agreed upon, and those that are disputed.

WARNING

Format

DOCX

An electronic version of the verdict form in Word must be submitted on a thumb drive.

Submit an electronic version of the verdict form in Word on a thumb drive.

WARNING

A party responding to a Kennemur objection at trial must be prepared with the page and line marked in deposition testimony and attorney communications showing the objecting party had reasonable advance notice of any departing opinion.

Any party responding to a Kennemur v. State of California (1982) 133 Cal.App.3d 907 objection at trial must be prepared to have the page and line marked in any deposition testimony and any attorney communication demonstrating that the objecting party had reasonable advance notice of any opinion that departs from the prior notice.

WARNING

All non-documentary exhibits must be marked and a simple written description of each inserted behind the corresponding numerical tab in the Exhibit Binders.

The parties' counsel and any self-represented parties shall mark all non-documentary exhibits and insert a simple written description of the exhibit behind the corresponding numerical tab in the Exhibit Binders.

WARNING

Parties filing more than one motion in limine must number the motions consecutively.

Parties filing more than one motion in limine shall number them consecutively.

WARNING

Each designation and counter-designation in the Joint Chart must be highlighted, with each party using a different color highlighter.

Each designation and counter-designation shall be highlighted, with each party using a different color highlighter.

WARNING

The court's yellow evidence tags (filled in with only the case number and exhibit number) must be placed on each exhibit in the Judicial Assistant's copy of the Exhibit Binder.

The parties’ counsel and any self- represented parties shall also place the court’s yellow evidence tags (with only the case number and exhibit number filled in) on each exhibit in the Judicial Assistant’s copy of the Exhibit Binder.

WARNING

Name on signature line of Joint Case Management Conference Statement Addendum must be typed or printed.

(TYPE OR PRINT NAME) (SIGNATURE OF PARTY OR ATTORNEY)

WARNING

The Trial Binder must consist of one-sided, conformed copies, tabbed and organized in a three-ring binder with a table of contents.

a Trial Binder, consisting of one-sided, conformed copies, tabbed and organized in a three-ring binder with a table of contents

WARNING

Documentary exhibit copies must be one-sided.

Copies of documentary exhibits shall be one-sided copies.

WARNINGCivil cases

Motions in limine should be numbered sequentially by each side for easy reference.

Motions in limine should be numbered sequentially by each side for easy reference.

WARNINGCivil cases

Blow-ups of exhibit portions may not be marked as sub-parts and typically will not be admitted; the actual exhibits do not need to be submitted for the FSC.

Blow-ups of portions of exhibits will not be identified nor marked as a sub-part to the exhibit. Typically, a blow-up will not be admitted into evidence. The actual exhibits do not need to be submitted for the FSC.

WARNING

Jury instructions must be in jury-ready format (number, title, and text only, with no tear sheets, boxes, or requesting-party indications) and divided into two packages separated by a colored sheet: agreed and disputed.

The parties/counsel shall prepare special instructions in a format ready for submission to the jury with the instruction number, title, and text only (i.e., there should be no tear sheets and no boxes or other indication on the printed instruction itself as to the requesting party).The instructions should be divided into two packages separated by a colored sheet of paper: those agreed upon, and those that are disputed.

WARNING

Format

DOCX

An electronic version of the jury instructions in Word format must be submitted on a thumb drive.

Please submit an electronic version of the jury instructions in Word format in a thumb drive.

WARNING

Exhibit notebooks must be three-ring binders available on the final status conference date, with the exhibit list in front, tabs matching exhibit numbers, and internally numbered pages for multi-page exhibits.

Three-ring binders containing all exhibits must be available on the final status conference date, and all parties must be prepared to tell the Court that they have had an opportunity to review all documents in the exhibit notebooks. Place a copy of the exhibit list in the front of each exhibit notebook and place tabs in the notebook to correspond with the exhibit number. If an exhibit contains more than one page, pages must be internally numbered, i.e., 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, etc.

WARNING

Format

DOCX

An electronic version of the verdict form in Word format must be submitted on a thumb drive.

Submit an electronic version of the verdict form in Word on a thumb drive.

WARNING

Blow-ups of exhibit portions should be identified and marked as sub-part A and typically will not be admitted into evidence.

Blow-ups of portions of exhibits should be identified and marked as sub-part A. Typically, a blow-up will not be admitted into evidence.

WARNING

Proposed special jury instructions and addenda to form instructions must leave at least four inches of blank space at the top of every page.

Leave at least four inches of blank space of the top of every page of any proposed special jury instructions, or any addenda to form instructions.

WARNING

The first paragraph of the IDC memorandum must be formatted starting with (1) a neutral statement of the dispute, with additional required elements continuing in the next part of the document.

The first paragraph shall be formatted as follows: (1) a neutral statement of the dispute; and (2)

WARNING

Counsel must prepare three separate sets of exhibits: one for the Court, one for the witness stand, and one for the Judicial Assistant.

Counsel must prepare a separate set of exhibits for each of the Court, the witness stand, and the Judicial Assistant.

WARNING

Exhibits must be separately numbered to match the joint exhibit list, and multi-page exhibits must have internally numbered pages (e.g., 3.1, 3.2, 3.3).

Counsel must comply with SCLAC Rules 3.52, 3.53 and 3.151. Each exhibit must be separately numbered, with the numbers corresponding to the number of the exhibit on the joint exhibit list. If an exhibit contains more than one page, the pages must be internally numbered, i.e., 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 etc.

WARNING

Each party should select a block of exhibit numbers. For example, plaintiff may take exhibits numbers 1-200 and defendant may take exhibit numbers 201-400. Documents consisting of more than one page should be internally paginated and sequentially marked (e.g., 1-1; 1-2; 1-3). For ease of reference, the exhibits should follow a rational order that tracks the witnesses to be called.

Each party should select a block of exhibit numbers. For example, plaintiff may take exhibits numbers 1-200 and defendant may take exhibit numbers 201-400. Documents consisting of more than one page should be internally paginated and sequentially marked (e.g., 1-1; 1-2; 1-3). For ease of reference, the exhibits should follow a rational order that tracks the witnesses to be called.

WARNING

If certain portions of the instruction are the subject of dispute as opposed to the instruction generally, the portion that is the subject of dispute should be highlighted.

If certain portions of the instruction are the subject of dispute as opposed to the instruction generally, the portion that is the subject of dispute should be highlighted.

WARNING

If the motions in limine are voluminous, parties must submit a separate labeled motion in limine notebook following the same internal format.

If the motions in limine are voluminous, the parties shall submit a separate motion in limine notebook, labeled accordingly, that follows the same internal format as described above.

WARNING

CRC rule 2.1055 governs the form in which proposed jury instructions must be prepared.

CRC, rule 2.1055 governs the form in which the jury instructions must be prepared.

WARNING

Jury instructions should not include a tear-away box at the top of the page and should be in the format that will be sent to the jury.

The jury instructions should not have a “tear-away” box at the top of the page. The jury instruction should be in the format that will be sent to the jury.

WARNING

The FSC Trial Notebook must consist of one-sided, conformed copies, tabbed and organized in a three-ring binder no larger than three inches.

consisting of one-sided, conformed copies, tabbed and organized in a three-ring binder (no larger than three inches)