Riverside Superior Court Filing Rules

The exchanged witness list must give each witness's name and a single-sentence description of anticipated testimony, and in jury trials must also identify each non-expert witness's community and each expert witness's occupation and principal office area.

Each party submitting motions in limine must submit a single proposed order covering all of that party's motions.

Jury instruction disputes must be presented to the court with both sides' proposed language and supporting authority.

A CMS damages description that merely says the plaintiff was injured or suffered damages is insufficient.

Pre-trial filings (Joint Statement of the Case, Joint Exhibit List, Joint Witness List, Jury Instructions, Joint Verdict Form(s), Motions in Limine Binder) due by 8:30 a.m. on trial date; failure incurs $250 per missing document per day.

Trial documents must not be filed before trial; they must be filed on the first day of trial in the assigned trial department.

The Court will not deem a motion filed if it has not been properly filed.

The law and motion/case management calendar starts at 8:30 a.m., and counsel must check in with the courtroom clerk no later than 8:15 a.m.

Noticed motions will not be heard on Fridays except for motions to continue a trial scheduled to begin that Friday.

Relief from a jury-fee forfeiture must be requested by a noticed motion heard at least 21 days before the first trial date.

Trial continuance requests must comply with CRC §3.1332(b), normally by noticed motion or ex parte in exigent circumstances, and will not be considered on the trial setting conference or day of trial.

Requests to continue trial must be made by noticed motion; ex parte only with exigent circumstances; continuances are disfavored and require a specific showing of good cause; stipulations must conform to CCP 595.2 and the court cannot accommodate postponements over the 30-day limit.

Counsel must observe the limitations on trial continuances under California Rules of Court rule 3.1332.

Requests to excuse an attorney, party, or insurance claims professional from appearing at the MSC must be presented at least 10 days before, supported by a declaration, and served on all parties.

Trial continuances require a noticed motion; ex parte requests require exigent circumstances; day-of-trial requests require extraordinary circumstances.

Counsel for all parties must exchange the listed pre-trial documents no later than 14 days before trial, or by another time the parties agree upon.

Parties seeking ex parte relief must email the ex parte application and supporting documents to opposing counsel by 4:00 p.m. the day before the ex parte hearing.

Plaintiff's counsel must serve all defendants and file proofs of service within 60 days of filing the complaint.

Exhibits must be exchanged 14 days before trial, excluding impeachment evidence.

Motions in limine served on opposing counsel must be received no later than 4:00 p.m., 15 days before trial.

Before telephoning the courtroom assistant at (760) 904-5693, counsel must review the applicable codes, court rules, local rules, PS2 department rules, and the court website.

The Court will not provide telephonic or email notice of hearing changes; counsel must check the online docket late in the afternoon before the hearing.

Trial counsel must advise the Court in writing of any insurance claims professional refusing to attend the MSC, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person and their supervisor.

Oral argument requests must be made by notifying Judicial Secretary Kari Gates by phone and informing all other parties by 4:30 p.m. the day prior.

Parties requesting daily transcripts must notify the Court through the Court Reporter Supervisors no later than one week before trial.

Exhibits must be numbered in advance, with each exhibit bearing a separate exhibit number.

Trial related documents must be provided in both hard copy and digital format.

All motions in limine must be numbered consecutively.

At trial, parties must supply at least three sets of exhibits, each exhibit being properly pre-labeled after specific numbering/lettering schemes, stored in tabbed binders with columns, and the court will accept only properly labeled/marked exhibits on the day of trial.

A request to shorten time for notice or advance a hearing date requires the motion to be filed, a hearing date on calendar, and the filing fee paid (or fee waiver obtained).

Requests to shorten time or advance a hearing will be considered only if the motion is filed, a hearing date is on calendar, and the filing fee is paid or waived.

Jury fees must be deposited on or before the initial CMC date even if the CMC is vacated or continued; failure forfeits the right to a jury trial.

Parties must deposit non-refundable $150 jury fees per Code of Civil Procedure section 631, or forfeit the right to a jury trial.

Motions in limine may be brought only when the parties dispute the subject of the motion.

Parties must meet and confer before filing a motion in limine; the Court will not consider motions in limine absent an indication of a meet and confer.

Discovery motions require a meet-and-confer, then an Informal Discovery Conference (IDC) with a joint 3-page brief, or sanctions may be denied.

Parties must meet and confer before and after filing motions in limine; failing to do so may result in the Court declining to consider the motions or an OSC re sanctions.

Unless there are fewer than 10 exhibits, documentary exhibits and photographs must be placed in a loose-leaf notebook with numbered dividers.

Trial documents must be bundled and delivered together; they are not to be filed separately.

Counsel need not lodge copies of out-of-state authorities unless the authority is unavailable on Lexis or Westlaw.

When more than five motions in limine are filed collectively, the parties must submit a hard copy of the motions in a binder with the joint documents required under Rule C.

A party intending to read from a deposition transcript must lodge the original transcript with the court on the first day of trial.

Parties must deliver one tabbed binder containing all joint trial documents to Department PS2 before the case is called on the hearing date.

Each side’s description of the disputed discovery issues in an informal discovery conference request is limited to one page per party.

Joint IDC brief limited to 3 pages.