Ventura Superior Court Filing Rules

A petitioner using GC-110(P) without the recommended local form must prepare a separate writing containing the information required by California Rules of Court rule 7.1012(e).

All in limine motions must be submitted in writing.

The ADR statement must identify planned additional resolution steps and explain whether the parties seek any assistance from the Court.

In limine motions are limited to issues that must be resolved before jury selection.

The joint PTC statement must summarize the case and resolution efforts, confirm the trial estimate, identify witnesses and examination estimates, detail issues requiring court involvement, and include trial counsel's certification of compliance.

The filing party must serve a copy of the Notice of Case Assignment and Mandatory Appearance on all named defendants or respondents with the complaint or petition, and with any cross-complaint or complaint in intervention naming a new party.

Personal service on all parties before trial is an authorized method for serving trial briefs, witness lists, and in limine motions.

All parties must be copied on every email sent to the Court regarding trial documents.

Litigants must comply with deadlines for serving summons of complaint and filing the resulting proofs of service.

Trial briefs must be served on all parties and emailed to the court at least three court days before trial.

Thereafter, additional reports may be due annually, as directed by the court.

IDC responding papers are due within five days after the requesting papers are emailed.

The Joint ADR Status Conference Statement must be filed at least five court days before the ADR Status Conference.

A tentative-ruling submission must be made before 8:00 a.m. on hearing day.

Ex parte moving papers must be filed by noon on the court day before the hearing; late papers may result in continuation of the hearing.

The exhibit number or letter must appear in the footer of every page of each exhibit.

Relevant portions must be highlighted on any exhibit exceeding five pages.

Exhibits supporting or opposing motions should be consecutively numbered at the bottom of each page, and exhibit references in briefs or declarations should include the page number.

Exhibits supporting or opposing a motion must be consecutively numbered at the bottom of each page, and exhibit references in briefs or declarations should include page numbers.

The parties must prepare a master exhibit set, excluding impeachment materials, in numerically tabbed binders no thicker than two inches with appropriately labeled spines identifying the exhibit numbers.

Specially set evidentiary hearing dates are firm and must be treated as certain by all parties and counsel.

Trial dates are firm, continuances are disfavored, and any continuance must comply with CRC 3.1332.

Trial dates are firm, continuances are disfavored, and continuance requests must comply with CRC 3.1332.

Lodgings may not be submitted or filed electronically, but proposed orders are excepted from that prohibition.

A joint written request emailed to courtroom44@ventura.courts.ca.gov is required for an informal discovery conference, which is held Tuesday through Friday at 1:30 p.m. and limited to 15 minutes for basic disputes or 30 minutes for complex disputes.

IDC requesting papers with the specified subject line must be emailed to Courtroom 20, with simultaneous copies to all other counsel or self-represented parties.

No E-Delivery of Trial Documents: The court does not accept e-delivery of trial documents. Once trial documents are received by the Court, they do not need to be resubmitted if the trial trails.

Trial documents do not need to be resubmitted if the trial is continued.

Trial briefs may not exceed ten pages unless the trial judge provides otherwise.

IDC requesting papers may not exceed five pages, excluding exhibits, and exhibits must contain only information necessary to explain the discovery dispute.

Both IDC requesting and responding papers are limited to five pages, excluding exhibits, and exhibits should contain only information necessary to explain the dispute.

Informal discovery conference requesting and responding papers are limited to five pages, excluding exhibits, which should contain only information necessary to explain the dispute.

Every in limine motion must be in writing and no individual motion may exceed five pages.

Upon receiving notice that the case is being called out for trial, counsel should confirm with the court a reasonable trial-time estimate that includes jury selection and deliberations.

Ex parte hearing dates and times may be obtained by telephoning the Judicial Secretary of the appropriate courtroom.

IDC responding papers must be emailed to Courtroom 42 at courtroom42@ventura.courts.ca.gov.

To reserve an ex parte application, call the Judicial Secretary at 805-289-8791 by 10 a.m. on the preceding court day.

A request for an IDC must be sent by email to Courtroom 21, copied to all attorneys and self-represented litigants, and use the subject line “REQUEST FOR IDC.”

A reasonably necessary photocopying fee waiver covers one copy of the papers in the court’s file for the action or proceeding.

Parties must timely post jury fees.

Jury fees must be posted timely.

A party granted a fee waiver may obtain a court reporter without charge by written request in conformance with California Rule of Court 2.956.

A chambers copy of the administrative record must be delivered to Department 44.

All summary-judgment courtesy copies must be delivered to Courtroom 21 by 8:30 a.m. at least two weeks before the hearing.

One copy of each exhibit binder must be given to the judicial assistant on the first day of trial for marking and the judge's use.

A courtesy copy of an IDC request must promptly be emailed to the assigned department and all parties using the subject line “REQUEST FOR IDC.”

A copy of every PowerPoint slide shown to the jury during opening statements or closing arguments must be provided to the Court and opposing counsel.

Ex parte matters may be handled as a walk-through without arranging a set time in advance, provided appropriate notice is given under Rule 9.06(A).

A party may not bring more than five in limine motions without leave of court.

Parties must meet and confer about the necessity of motions in limine and are encouraged to stipulate to avoid them when possible.

When the petitioner already may inspect and copy the juvenile file, the petitioner must lodge two sealed confidential copies for Juvenile Court review—one unredacted copy and one redacted copy.

An exhibit binder must be prepared for opposing counsel, the witness stand, the bench, and the clerk if the judge orders a clerk binder.