San Francisco Superior Court Filing Rules

Petitioner must file a request to enter default and, if not already filed, a proof of service of summons.

Each joint motion in limine must address only one issue and may not include subparts presenting additional issues.

The parties must file a joint case management statement identifying agreed and undecided issues and deliver two copies to Department 606 no later than five court days before the conference.

The title page of every paper related to Discovery must contain the word "Discovery".

The Juvenile Probation Officer must provide notice concerning the authorization application.

Expert-information exchange demands are deemed served, and expert designations must be served under California Code of Civil Procedure section 2034.260 and following.

All court orders must be electronically served through File&ServeXpress.

Supporting evidence, including documents or pictures, must be sent to the opposing party and Department 506 at least 5 days before the hearing.

Unless good cause is shown, a dismissal of all Doe defendants must already be on file when the default judgment request is submitted.

Before each subsequent case management conference, the parties must meet to discuss and attempt to resolve the issues for that conference.

A Notice of Dismissal, Settlement, or Stay must be filed by 4 p.m. on the Thursday before the trial date to excuse a party's appearance.

Oppositions to motions in limine must be filed within two court days after the motions are filed and served.

A party requesting a Zoom appearance must obtain and submit the three listed forms at least 10 calendar days before the hearing.

One courtesy copy must be delivered to the Civil Case Management Department.

Counsel must email electronic proposed-order courtesy copies in both Word and PDF format contemporaneously with electronic filing.

Courtesy copies must be provided to the court before the hearing for asbestos law and motion matters and trial-date motions under Local Rule 2.7.

Courtesy copies of all filed papers for motions heard in Department 501 must be delivered to Department 501.

A Notice of Dismissal, Settlement, or Stay must be filed with courtesy copies delivered to Department 206 by 4 p.m. on the Thursday before trial if a party will not appear for trial.

The appeal filing fees may be waived only for an appellant proceeding in forma pauperis who completes the appropriate forms and meets the criteria or receives court approval.

A self-represented party that opts into e-filing must follow the E-Filing Rules for the remainder of the case.

Counsel must register with File&ServeXpress and submit all filings through that vendor.

Electronic filing is mandatory for Limited Unlawful Detainer Cases.

The party unable to effect service must appear at the Court hearing and request additional time to serve the restrained person or may request reissuance of a TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER by filing a DV-115: REQUEST TO CONTINUE COURT HEARING form in the Office of the Court Clerk.

A case management conference may be continued if the parties do not timely file the joint case management statement.

A party may request an extension of a trial-brief page limit by submitting a declaration to the trial judge or Supervising Asbestos Judge explaining good cause.

Parties may obtain a tentative ruling by telephoning the Law and Motion and Discovery Departments or using the court website’s online services link.

The CEQA Department clerk may be contacted by phone at 415-551-3830.

Contact the clerk at 415-551-3768 to obtain the date for an in-person Asbestos Informal Discovery Conference.

Attorney-fee and expense claims must follow the format specified in the Manual.

Electronic courtesy copies of proposed orders must be supplied in both Word and PDF formats.

A proposed order submitted after the hearing session must include an original, one copy, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Parties must provide all electronic equipment needed for trial, except that the court provides a 6-foot-by-6-foot white screen.

Jurors may not write on the back of questionnaire pages and must use the designated blank space on the last page for additional answers.

A defendant withdrawing a general time waiver must schedule a pretrial conference in the department where the case is pending.

Before filing any motion in limine, the parties must meet and confer on all such motions to attempt to reach stipulations.

A motion hearing date and time must be reserved with the CEQA clerk and approved by the court before filing the motion.

An update declaration may not exceed 5 pages, excluding exhibits.

Defendant's trial brief is limited to five pages, with no exhibits permitted.

Unless the court orders otherwise, case management statements may not exceed 15 pages, excluding exhibits, without court approval.

Papers relating to Discovery Department motions should not be combined with papers relating to motions assigned to other departments.

Declarations supporting a Special Immigrant Juvenile Findings petition on form GC-220 must be marked Confidential and filed under Code of Civil Procedure section 155(c).

The Court encourages parties and senior attorneys to give newer practitioners opportunities to argue motions or examine witnesses at trial in civil actions.