San Diego Superior Court Document Format Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

Motion papers must comply with CRC 3.1110 et seq. and San Diego Local Rule 2.1.4.1 for formatting, bookmarking, and filing.

The parties are reminded to comply with California Rule of Court 3.1110 et. seq. and San Diego Superior Court local rule 2.1.4.1 regarding formatting, bookmarking, and filing requirements of motion papers.

CRITICALCivil cases

All exhibits must be pre-marked in an up-to-date binder; photographs need individual exhibit numbers and tags.

All exhibits must be pre-marked in an up-to-date exhibit binder(s). If photographs are submitted, each photograph must have an individual exhibit number and tag.

CRITICAL

Each exhibit must have a discrete number and be correctly identified; collectively labeling a file as one exhibit is impermissible.

Each exhibit must be marked with a discrete number and should be correctly identified. By way of example, it is impermissible to label "Dr. Jones' file" collectively as Exhibit 25.

CRITICAL

A party or witness appearing at trial through Microsoft Teams may not testify by audio only or telephone unless all parties stipulate to audio-only testimony.

With respect to any party or witness who appears at trial via Microsoft Teams, no party or witness may testify by audio only, or by telephone, unless all parties stipulate that the testimony may be taken by audio only.

CRITICAL

Each party must arrange a video appearance for any remote third-party witness it intends to call, and properly subpoenaed witnesses must cooperate unless excused by the Court.

Each party shall arrange for the video appearance of any third-party witness appearing remotely it intends to call. Witnesses who have been properly subpoenaed shall cooperate with the parties in the making of these arrangements unless their appearance has been excused by the Court.

CRITICAL

Each party must ensure that proceedings are not recorded or reported except by the duly authorized court reporter.

Each party shall assure that the proceedings are not being recorded or reported in any manner other than by the duly-authorized court reporter.

CRITICAL

Each party must ensure remote video feeds let the Court and opposing counsel clearly see and hear the witness and assess that the witness is not being coached or using unseen materials.

Each party shall ensure that their video feed and that of their witnesses appearing remotely is of sufficient quality and scope so that the Court and opposing counsel may see and hear the witness clearly, and be able to assure that no witness is susceptible to coaching or has the ability to rely on any materials out of sight of the Court and/or opposing counsel.

CRITICAL

Parties and counsel must ensure a non-party witness does not see or hear trial proceedings before testifying or after testifying while awaiting release from further testimony.

Parties and counsel shall assure that any non-party witness who will testify at trial will not see or hear any of the trial proceedings that occur before they testify, or that occur after they testify and before they are excused from providing further testimony.

CRITICAL

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.

In addition, the following are due the day trial commences: 1. Two sets of exhibit binders (original for the witness, pre-marked with Court Exhibit tags, and one copy for the Court).

CRITICALCivil cases

All exhibits must be pre-marked in an up-to-date exhibit book(s) of no more than 2 inches each.

All exhibits must be pre-marked in an up-to-date exhibit book(s) of no more than 2” each.

CRITICAL

Each exhibit must be labeled on the first page with the proper exhibit number (e.g., Exhibit 1, Exhibit 305 etc.). If an exhibit contains multiple pages, and they are not already Bates-stamped, give each page an identifying number. For instance, if Exhibit 5 is a four-page document, the pages should be marked "5-1," "5-2," "5-3," and, the last page, "5-4." The exhibit number is to be placed in the II lower righthand corner. If uploaded to the portal, each exhibit must appear separately on the portal.

Each exhibit must be labeled on the first page with the proper exhibit number (e.g., Exhibit 1, Exhibit 305 etc.). If an exhibit contains multiple pages, and they are not already Bates-stamped, give each page an identifying number. For instance, if Exhibit 5 is a four-page document, the pages should be marked "5-1," "5-2," "5-3," and, the last page, "5-4." The exhibit number is to be placed in the II lower righthand corner. If uploaded to the portal, each exhibit must appear separately on the portal.

CRITICAL

The Court cannot present electronically stored evidence with its own equipment; parties must provide their own laptop or other equipment to present such evidence.

Be advised that the Court does not have the capability of presenting electronically stored evidence using its own equipment. The Court has a screen on which evidence can be shown, and cables that can be connected to a laptop, but will not be able to insert flash drives, memory sticks, CDs or other storage devices into court computers or laptops. Therefore, you must provide your own laptop or other equipment to present that evidence during the trial.

CRITICAL

Hardcopy exhibits over 50 pages must be compiled in 3-ring binders (unless IPads are used), with spine/front identifying contents and exhibits separated by tabs labeled with exhibit numbers.

If exhibits are provided in hardcopy form, and they consist of more than 50 pages of exhibits, they must be compiled in 3-ring binders, unless IPads are being utilized (see below) . If you are submitting more than one binder, identify on the spine and the front of the binder the exhibits contained therein. The exhibits must be separated with tabs labeled with that exhibit's number, for ease of use and reference.

CRITICAL

Whether uploaded via the portal, or provided in hardcopy or on an IPad, all exhibits, should be pre-marked and tabbed as Court's exhibits: Petitioner 1- 300; Respondent 301- 600 (Respondent's first exhibit will be number 301); Third Party or Minor's Counsel 601-900.

Whether uploaded via the portal, or provided in hardcopy or on an IPad, all exhibits, should be pre-marked and tabbed as Court's exhibits: Petitioner 1- 300; Respondent 301- 600 (Respondent's first exhibit will be number 301); Third Party or Minor's Counsel 601-900.

CRITICALCivil cases

Exhibits must be pre-marked: Petitioner uses numbers and pink tags; Respondent uses letters and yellow tags.

EXHIBITS must be pre-marked. Petitioner must use numbers and pink tags for their exhibits; Respondent must use letters and yellow tags for their exhibits.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits must be tabbed with exhibit number/letter in all binders and tagged with an exhibit sticker tag on the Clerk's copy.

The exhibits are to be TABBED (side or bottom of exhibit) with exhibit number/letter (all binders) and TAGGED (Clerk’s copy only) with an exhibit sticker tag or likeness.

WARNINGCivil cases

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.

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.

WARNINGCivil cases

Multi-page exhibits must be bate stamped with an identifying number unless an exception applies.

Unless the exception shown below is applicable, an Exhibit which contains multiple pages, must have an identifying number (bate stamped).

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibit sticker tags must be placed in the lower right-hand corner without covering document content; if no space, place on the back of the last page.

The exhibit sticker tag/likeness is to be placed in the lower right-hand corner by way of an exhibit tag/likeness as long as it does not cover any part of the document. If there is no empty place to put it, place the sticker on the backside of the last page of that exhibit.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits not properly tabbed or tagged may be returned to be corrected.

***FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE EXHIBITS TABBED/TAGGED APPROPRIATELY, MAY RESULT IN THEIR RETURN TO HAVE THEM DONE CORRECTLY***

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibit binders must not exceed 1.5 inches and must be labeled on the spine with the exhibits they contain.

Exhibit binders/notebooks shall not exceed 1.5 inches. The spine of the binder/notebook shall be labeled with the exhibits that are contained in that particular binder/notebook (example: Binder 1 – exhibits 1-50).

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits subject to judicial notice are not marked 'RECEIVED'; impeachment exhibits are identified as 'the next in order' and the clerk marks and adheres the tag.

When judicial notice is taken of a document/exhibit, it is NOT indicated “RECEIVED” on the exhibit tag. If there are impeachment exhibits, they can be identified as “the next in order” and the clerk will mark and adhere the exhibit tag.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Advance trial review conference document

It should be complete and on pleading paper without the firm name.

It should be complete and on pleading paper without the firm name.

WARNINGCivil cases

Exhibits submitted with motions should be separately tabbed (for lodgments and courtesy copies) and electronically bookmarked.

Exhibits submitted with motions should be separately tabbed (for lodgments and courtesy copies) and electronically bookmarked.

WARNINGCivil cases

IDC hearings are conducted in person on Monday mornings only, unless the Court authorizes otherwise.

Unless otherwise authorized by the Court, IDC hearings are conducted in person on Monday mornings only.

WARNINGCivil cases

Witnesses appearing by video should have a plain or blurred background. If testifying remotely, witnesses must be alone in the room and have physical copies of any exhibits to which the witness will refer to during their testimony.

Witnesses appearing by video should have a plain or blurred background. If testifying remotely, witnesses must be alone in the room and have physical copies of any exhibits to which the witness will refer to during their testimony.