San Diego Superior Court Filing Rules

A self-represented litigant consenting to electronic service must file the specified notice and serve a copy on all parties who have appeared.

Default judgment papers must comply strictly with CRC Rule 3.1800; non-complying papers will be returned.

Trial brief, exhibit list, and witness list must be delivered to the Department no later than seven court days before the trial or evidentiary hearing.

Parties must include a means of return for all exhibits.

Moving papers for guardian ad litem and publication-of-summons applications must be submitted for court review.

Unless the court orders otherwise, parties appearing remotely in covered trials must submit all evidence to the court at least five court days before trial; Unlawful Detainer and Small Claims cases with one or more remote parties are excluded.

Ex parte matters will not be heard unless supporting papers with the appropriate fee are filed by 12:00 p.m. the day before the hearing.

Ex parte papers must be filed by noon the day before the hearing; the court may not consider any late-filed papers.

Ex parte moving papers must be filed by 10:00 a.m. the day before the hearing and require the appropriate fee.

Joint Trial Readiness Conference Reports must be filed five days before the TRC.

Parties must notify the court as soon as possible when they enter into a settlement agreement that resolves the case.

The Calendar phone number is (619) 450-7006, and phone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Counsel who will not appear after reserving an Ex-Parte date must contact the Courtroom Clerk to cancel.

Parties are not required to reserve a hearing date for a pro hac vice application.

Ex parte appearances require a reservation with the Calendar Clerk and are held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m.

Copies of Judicial Council and court forms may be used only if they are readable and match the original in color and paper type.

If an Exhibit contains multiple pages, please give each page an identifying number (bate stamped) in the lower righthand corner.

Two sets of exhibit binders are due the day trial begins: an original for the witness, pre-marked with Court Exhibit tags, and a copy for the Court.

All of Petitioner’s exhibits should be pre-marked and tabbed as numbers in numerical order. All of Respondent’s exhibits should be pre-marked and tabbed as letters in alphabetical order.

Each page of a multi-page exhibit must be bates stamped in the lower right-hand corner.

The judgment creditor receives conformed copies showing the appearance date, time, and place for service.

A pro hac vice application must include proof that it was served on the State Bar of California.

If the parties are unable to agree on a date, the IDC should be scheduled with at least five (5) days' notice to the opposing party.

Applications for orders to serve by publication may be submitted without an appearance; supporting affidavits are scrutinized for compliance with CCP 415.50(a).

Each party must serve all exhibits on every other party, either electronically or in hardcopy, at least five days before the trial or evidentiary hearing.

A courtesy copy of any declaration responding to an informal discovery status conference must be delivered directly to the assigned I/C department.

All motion hearing documents require a courtesy copy to Dept. 70, and courtesy copies must have tabbed exhibits.

Courtesy copies of all e-filed documents on all motion hearings must be delivered to the Dept. 62 drop box on the second floor in the Hall of Justice.

Two additional copies of the verdict form, witness list, and exhibit list should be provided for the courtroom clerk.

Courtesy copies of motions, oppositions, and replies are required upon request, placed in Department 67 drop box.

The court discourages continuances; if a continuance is denied or 90 days have elapsed since appointment, all parties must appear before the ordering judge, and the court may sanction a continuance request not made with good cause.

Ex parte applications to advance hearings are discouraged and should be based on an affirmative showing of good cause for an earlier date.

The parties may stipulate to extend deadlines to facilitate resolution of a discovery dispute without a motion.

Stipulated continuances may be made by written stipulation and should include a proposed order and a statement of good cause.

A trial date will not be continued on an ex parte application to advance a motion unless requested in the alternative or stipulated to.

The demurring party must meet and confer with the opposition to resolve objections and comply with CCP 430.41.

Counsel must meet and confer before any ex parte hearing to pare down disputed issues.

Parties must meet and confer before trial to attempt settlement.

Meaningful meet and confer required before setting ex parte hearing; a declaration of the dispute must be filed.

Parties are encouraged to appear for an informal discovery conference (IDC) before filing a motion to compel.

Appearing parties must pay applicable first paper fees; for a jointly filed e-filing, fees are assessed against parties who have not previously paid, collected from the submitting party, who is responsible for seeking reimbursement.

A CM-020 form may be filed with a $60.00 filing fee.

Ex parte papers require the appropriate fee.

No filing fee is charged for a minor's compromise hearing.

No fee is charged for a Minor's Compromise hearing.

Documents under seal or conditionally under seal must comply with CRC Rules 2.550 and 2.551; the Court will not seal non-compliant documents.

Court communications and proceedings concerning panel-mediator complaints must remain private and confidential, subject to legal requirements and specified authorized disclosures.

Motions and applications to seal must comply with California Rules of Court, rules 2.550 and 2.551.

Documents may be filed under seal only in compliance with California Rules of Court Rule Nos. 2.550 and 2.551.

Stipulated protective orders and motions to seal must comply with CRC Rules 2.550 and 2.551; records will not be sealed based solely on party agreement or stipulation.

Attorneys must electronically file documents in limited, unlimited, and complex civil actions, unless an ex parte application to be excused from e-filing is filed.

All exhibits for the Judge's use must be uploaded using the Electronic Evidence Portal.

Requests for exemption from the electronic exhibit uploading requirements must comply with Local Rule 5.8.4(C).

Ex parte papers must be filed digitally via E-FILE.

All trial-related documents must be filed directly in Department 704; e-filing of trial documents is prohibited.

Discovery motions must not combine discovery sought from multiple parties; each party must file its own separate motion.

Counsel must provide a three-ring binder with tabs to the Court on the Friday before trial containing trial briefs, pre-trial motions, jury instructions, verdict form, exhibit list, and witness list.

Motions in Limine and any oppositions must be combined in a second notebook, not filed as separate notebooks.

Exhibits exceeding 50 pages must be compiled in 3-ring binders.

Exhibits exceeding 50 pages must be compiled in 3-ring binders, and multiple binders must identify their contents on the front and spine.

Parties must adhere to the page limitations set forth in CRC Rule 3.1113(d).

Unless the court instructs otherwise, settlement conference statements are limited to five pages and must concisely support liability and damages, including a demand and offer, itemized special and general damages, and the last offer.

Each party must submit a concise brief not exceeding 5 pages no later than 3 court days before the IDC.

Each party must submit a concise IDC brief no longer than five pages before the Informal Discovery Conference.

Trial briefs are limited to 15 pages without leave of court.

The Court encourages law firms and government agencies to allow less experienced attorneys to argue motions, examine witnesses, conduct voir dire, and open/close a case.