Court Rules
district Judge
Verified Current11 days ago

Judge Serena R. Murillo

Central District of California

Limits & Logistics

Document Limits

Motion In Limine
10 pgs
Joint Statement Of Case
1 pgs

Courtesy Copies

Filings (All filings)

Required

Adjournments

Notice Required
19Weeks
Notice Required
0Calendar Days

Must Include

  • 1
    Reason For Request
  • 2
    Original Date
  • 3
    Number Of Previous Requests
  • 4
    Previous Requests Granted Or Denied
  • 5
    Adversary Position
  • 6
    Proposed New Dates
  • 7
    Affects Other Dates
  • 8
    Emergency Nature
Notice Required
6Weeks
Notice Required
24Weeks
Notice Required
12Weeks
Notice Required
10Weeks
Notice Required
8Weeks

Communication

Letter Ecf

Clerk

Technical Issues
Advance Notice Required
Email

Chambers

AccommodationsExhibit AgreementsTechnical Issues
Advance Notice Required
No Hours, Status Inquiries
Meet And Confer

Chambers

Witness Sequence
Advance Notice Required
Filters:AllMandatoryImportantCommunicationTRO/InjunctionCourtroom ConductExhibitsEvidence/WitnessesMemorandaJury

Detailed Drafting Rules

Page or Word LimitMandatory

Motions in limine and oppositions limited to 10 pages.

Motions in limine and oppositions must not exceed ten (10) pages in length.

Page 5
|SecB. Requirements for Pretrial Documents
Communication ProtocolMandatory

Special court reporter services require 14-day advance notice.

Any party requesting special court reporter services for any hearing, such as "Real Time" transmission or daily transcripts, shall notify Court Reporting Services at least fourteen (14) days before the hearing date.

Letter via ECF

Direct to: Clerk

Approved Topics
Technical Issues
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    14 days before hearing date
Communication ProtocolNote

Parties must notify Courtroom Deputy in advance of any reasonable accommodation needs.

The parties must notify the Courtroom Deputy in advance if any party, counsel, or witness requires a reasonable accommodation based on a disability or other reason.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Accommodations
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    in advance
Page 17
|SecIII. Trial Preparation
Communication ProtocolNote

Court may permit witnesses to be called out of sequence; counsel should meet and confer in advance.

The Court generally will accommodate witnesses by permitting them to be called out of sequence. Counsel should meet and confer in advance and make every effort to resolve the matter.

Meet And Confer

Approved Topics
Witness Sequence
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    in advance
Page 17
|SecIII. Trial Preparation
Communication ProtocolMandatory

Counsel must inform Courtroom Deputy of exhibit agreements and exhibits admitted without motion.

Counsel must inform the Courtroom Deputy of any agreements reached regarding any proposed exhibits, as well as those exhibits that may be received into evidence without a motion to admit.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Exhibit Agreements
Page 17
|SecIII. Trial Preparation
Document RequirementMandatory

Two procedures for using adverse party deposition testimony for impeachment: reading with page/line citation or silent reading with follow-up questions.

In using deposition testimony of an adverse party for impeachment, counsel may adhere to either one of the following procedures: a. If counsel wishes to read the questions and answers as alleged impeachment and ask the witness no further questions on that subject, counsel shall first state the page and line where the reading begins and the page and line where the reading ends and allow time for any objection. Counsel may then read the portions of the deposition into the record. b. If counsel wishes to ask the witness further questions on the subject matter, the deposition shall be placed in front of the witness and the witness told to read the relevant pages and lines silently. Then, counsel either may ask the witness further questions on the matter and thereafter read the quotations or read the quotations and thereafter ask further questions. Counsel should have available for the Court and the witness extra copies of the deposition transcript for this purpose.

Document Type

Deposition Impeachment

Content & Formatting
Page Line Citation
Extra Copies Available
Page 18
|SecIII. Trial Preparation
Communication ProtocolImportant

Advance notice required for difficult legal issues; notify Courtroom Deputy immediately of unexpected issues; inform before jurors excused to minimize waiting.

If any party anticipates that a difficult question of law or evidence will necessitate legal argument requiring research or briefing, that party must give the Court advance notice. The parties must notify the Courtroom Deputy immediately of any unexpected legal issue that could not have been foreseen and addressed in advance. To the extent such issue needs to be addressed outside the jury’s presence, the relevant party must inform the Courtroom Deputy before jurors are excused for the day to minimize the time jurors are kept waiting. The Court expects all parties to work diligently to minimize delays and avoid keeping jurors waiting.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
SchedulingEmergenciesStatus InquiriesTechnical Issues
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    immediately
Prohibited
  • Hours
  • Status Inquiries
Page 19
|SecK. Advance Notice of Unusual or Difficult Issues
Communication ProtocolMandatory

Hearings are in-person by default; Zoom requests must be filed by Friday before hearing with meet and confer certification

By default, all hearings shall proceed in-person, unless a request is made by the parties and granted by the Court. Requests to appear via Zoom must be e-filed by the Friday before the hearing and must indicate that counsel has met and conferred per Local Rule 7-3.

Email

Direct to: Chambers

Approved Topics
Technical Issues
Requirements
  • Advance Notice Required
    Friday before hearing
Page 21
|SecSchedule of Pretrial and Trial Dates Worksheet