**Judge Serena R. Murillo** was appointed to the Central District of California by President Joe Biden in 2025. Murillo received her undergraduate degree from UC San Diego and her law degree from Loyola Law School. She began her career in personal injury litigation before spending 17 years as a Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, handling misdemeanors, juvenile matters, felonies, domestic violence, major fraud, and appellate work. Governor Jerry Brown appointed her to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2015. She has also served as a Lecturer in Law at UC Irvine and USC Gould School of Law and on the Judicial Council of California's Criminal Law Advisory Committee. **Education** - Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, J.D., 1996 - University of California, San Diego, B.A., 1993 **Career** - Private practice (personal injury), Shemoff Bidart Darras; McNicholas & McNicholas, 1996–1997 - Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles County, 1997–2014 (including Domestic Violence Coordinator; Major Fraud Division, 2005–2010; Appellate Division, 2010–2014) - Judge, Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County, 2015–2025 (appointed by Governor Jerry Brown; associate justice pro tem, California Court of Appeal, Second District, 2018–2019) - Lecturer in Law, UC Irvine School of Law (2022) and USC Gould School of Law (2022–present) - U.S. District Judge, Central District of California, 2025–present
**Courthouse:** First Street U.S. Courthouse, 350 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 **Division:** Western Division (Los Angeles) **Chambers Staff** - Chambers Email: SRM_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov
Courtesy copies are required for application to seals and sealing application fulls. Details: delivery not required. Chambers copies are not required for any sealing requests.
Judge Serena R. Murillo's rules set a pre-motion procedure for pretrial detention review. Pretrial detention review requests must first be addressed to the Magistrate Judge.
Judge Serena R. Murillo's rule states these limits: 7000 words; 3000 words. Excludes caption, index, table of contents, table of authorities, signature blocks, certificates, and exhibits. Pre-trial motion memoranda (support/opposition) limited to 7000 words, replies to 3000 words; exclusions for caption, TOC, TOA, etc. No supplemental brief without leave.
Judge Serena R. Murillo's rule states these limits: 10 pages; 10 pages. Motions in limine and oppositions are limited to 10 pages.
Judge Serena R. Murillo's formatting rule includes times new roman font, 14 point type, either proportionally spaced or monospaced typeface permitted, typeface must comply with local civil rule 11-3.1.1, and footnotes must be in the same font and size as the body text. Times New Roman font must be at least 14 point; footnotes must match body font and size; typeface must comply with Local Civil Rule 11-3.1.1.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Parties must submit the Schedule of Pretrial and Trial Dates Worksheet with their Joint Rule 26(f) Report.
The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. Parties in putative class actions must use the Class Action Worksheet and provide a proposed briefing schedule.
Parties may contact Judge Serena R. Murillo's chambers by email only as allowed by the rule. The rule lists email SRM_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov. After e-filing sealing application for document(s) only, email chambers with required PDF/Word files and specified subject line.
Judge Serena R. Murillo's rules set procedures for sealed or redacted filings. A sealed document being filed must be linked to the court order granting leave to file it under seal.
Requests should be made at least 2 business days in advance when this rule applies before Judge Serena R. Murillo. The request must include proposed new dates. Adjournment requests for scheduled appearances require 2 business days' notice and a proposed new date via Stipulation and Proposed Order.
Yes. Judge Serena R. Murillo requires bundling for covered papers. Parties must submit a single joint brief for all MSJs; one moving party designated, default to defendant if no agreement. Pre-filing deadlines modifiable without leave if all parties agree and MSJ is timely.
Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. When filing a sealed motion, the document upload screen must turn red to confirm the filing will be under seal; if it does not turn red, stop and restart the docketing process.
A sealed document being filed must be linked to the court order granting leave to file it under seal.
The sealed-document upload screen must turn red; if it does not, you must stop because the documents will not be filed under seal and must restart the docketing process.
Sealed documents are uploaded to the court in PDF format.
When amending an existing Application for Leave to File Under Seal, use the "Amendment (Motion related)" event to avoid creating a duplicate motion on the Judge's calendar.
No hearing is required for the Application for Leave to File Under Seal, so do not set a hearing date.
A sealed document may only be e-filed after obtaining a court order granting leave to file under seal; without such an order, the e-filing cannot be completed.
Filing any sealed document requires a court order; if you have not obtained one, you must first file an Application for Leave to File Under Seal (even if a statute allows sealing) and cannot continue until the court grants the order.
Sealed documents must be served by means other than electronic service; print the NEF and serve it together with the sealed document on opposing counsel.
A court order granting leave to file under seal is required before e-filing a sealed motion; without it the e-filing cannot be completed.
A court order is required to file any sealed document; if not yet obtained, an Application for Leave to File Under Seal must be filed first, and the filing cannot proceed until the order is obtained.
When filing a sealed motion, the document upload screen must turn red to confirm the filing will be under seal; if it does not turn red, stop and restart the docketing process.
A sealed motion must be linked to an order granting leave to file under seal; without such an order, docketing cannot continue.
The document caption is publicly visible, so confidential information must not be included in it.
Sealed documents are uploaded as PDF files during the e-filing process.
When filing a sealed opposition, the document upload screen must turn red to confirm the filing is under seal; if it does not, stop and restart the docketing process.
Additional documents attached to a sealed opposition must be individually uploaded and assigned the correct category from the drop-down list.
A sealed opposition must be linked to the motion or motions to which it relates during the e-filing process.
A sealed opposition must be linked to an order granting leave to file under seal; if no such order exists, docketing cannot continue.
Users must not click the Back button during the sealed filing process because doing so will create an error.
Sealed documents are not accessible through the NEF, so they must be served by other means; the filer must print the NEF and serve it along with the sealed document on opposing counsel.
When filing a sealed document, the upload screen must turn red to confirm sealed filing; if it does not, stop and restart the docketing process.
A sealed reply must be linked to the motion or motions to which it relates.
A sealed reply must be linked to the order granting leave to file it under seal.
Sealed documents must be served by other means because they are not accessible through the NEF; print the NEF and serve it with the sealed document on opposing counsel.
Sealed documents are not accessible through the NEF and are restricted from viewing.
The Application for Leave for In Camera Review is publicly visible and must not contain confidential information or attach the documents for in camera review.
If the Application for Leave for In Camera Review is granted, the filer must deliver copies of the documents directly to the judge's chambers.
Amendments to an Application for Leave for In Camera Review must be filed using the 'Amendment (Motion related)' event, not the 'Leave for In Camera Review' event, to avoid creating a duplicate motion on the Judge's calendar.
No hearing is required for the Application for Leave for In Camera Review, so no hearing date should be set.
The 'Leave for In Camera Review' event is a public entry and is not restricted, meaning the application itself is filed publicly even though it relates to sealed documents.