Orange Superior Court Filing Rules

An ex parte application must include a separate proposed order in Word format.

Ex parte applications must include a separate proposed order in Word format.

Video or audio tape evidence may not be introduced unless accompanied by a separately marked audio transcript and/or still picture representation.

Status conference reports must focus on latest developments since last hearing.

Video or audio tape evidence may only be introduced if accompanied by a separately marked transcript or still-picture representation.

Procedural stipulations form must be e-filed by 12:00 p.m. the Wednesday before trial and included in the trial notebook.

The Issue Conference must take place at least 14 days before the trial date.

The signed Procedural Stipulations form is due by 12:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before trial.

OCLR 317 items must be filed 5 days before pretrial conference; motions in limine follow Code.

All motion papers must be filed within 24 hours of reserving a motion date, except for summary judgment motions.

Providing a trial notebook does not replace the parties’ obligation to e-file all trial-related documents.

Factual stipulations must be in writing, e-filed, and included in the trial notebook.

All ex parte papers, including the proposed order, must be e-filed by 3:00 p.m. the business day before the hearing.

All ex parte papers must be e-filed by 11:00 a.m. on the court day before the ex parte hearing.

A normal-size paper version of any exhibit enlargement ('blow-up') must be uploaded to the Portal and treated as the official exhibit.

The proposed order accompanying an ex parte application must be separate and in Word format.

Exhibit binders must be three-ring binders no larger than three inches.

Special or modified jury instructions must be submitted in Word format.

Trial Notebook binders may be no larger than 3 inches; using more than one binder is permitted.

Written evidentiary objections and related proposed orders must strictly comply with CRC 3.1354 formatting.

Courtesy copies of in limine motions and oppositions must be delivered to Courtroom Clerk by 12:00 p.m. Wednesday before trial, included in trial notebook or separate binder.

Courtesy copies of all motion papers must be delivered to the courtroom by the day after the papers are e-filed.

Original, tagged exhibits must be delivered to Dept. C24 at Monday trial call.

Department N17 does not require courtesy copies for ex parte applications.

The Notice of Lodging of Deposition Transcripts must be accompanied by a courtesy copy to the court.

Counsel must contact the courtroom as soon as possible to take a motion off calendar, and the court may decline if a tentative ruling has been posted.

Do not call the courtroom to ask about tentative ruling posting times.

Parties opposing an ex parte application should telephone the clerk in Department CX102 at (657) 622-5302 and file opposition papers as soon as feasible.

Counsel must immediately advise the Court when taking a law and motion matter off calendar.

Ex parte hearing reservations must be made by phone with the department by 12:00 p.m. the business day before the hearing.

Notice of the ex parte application must be given to all parties by 10 am the court day before the hearing.

A party presenting deposition witnesses must provide opposing counsel its written deposition designations on a highlighted hard copy transcript no later than the Issue Conference.

Proposed Judgment must be served on opposing counsel.

The Proposed Judgment must be served on opposing counsel within 7 calendar days of the verdict.

A party presenting witnesses by deposition must provide its written deposition designations to the opposing party by the Issue Conference.

The joint witness list must be included with the Trial Notebook copy.

In limine motions and oppositions must be included in the trial notebook.

Declarations in summary judgment motions must be filed separately, not attached to the motion or memorandum.

Several in limine motions may be placed in a separate binder and delivered with the trial notebook.

Motions in limine should be placed in a separate binder from the rest of the Trial Notebook.

The parties must meet and confer in good faith to resolve as many in limine motions as possible before trial.

Good-faith meet-and-confer (in person, by phone, or videoconference—not email) is required before filing any discovery motion.

Parties must engage in meaningful meet-and-confer conversations in person, by phone, or by videoconference (not email) before filing any discovery motion.

In limine motions must be exchanged and discussed no later than the Issue Conference, with a good-faith meet-and-confer requirement.

Ex parte applications are heard Monday through Friday at 8:30 AM, governed by California Rules of Court 3.1200-3.1207.

Trial dates are firm and continuances are disfavored.

Any request for continuance must demonstrate good cause per CRC 3.1332(c).

Continuance requests must demonstrate good cause per CRC 3.1332(c).

The Court will not entertain continuance requests or further filings once a tentative ruling has been posted.

Arbitration continuances require a stipulation signed by the arbitrator, a declaration of good cause, and an order rescheduling the Arbitration Review hearing.

Failure to post jury fees within 10 days of trial setting may result in an Order to Show Cause re: Sanctions.

Ex parte application fee must be paid at the Civil Clerk's Office before presenting documents in court.

The fee for each ex parte application must be paid in the Civil Clerk's Office before presenting the documents in the courtroom.

A court reporter is not provided at motion hearings without a fee waiver.

The parties must agree on the division of applicable jury fees and reporter fees, which are due each day before trial begins.

MSC statements are kept confidential if properly identified in the e-filing.

Impeachment exhibits may be marked as 'confidential' when uploading to the Portal.

MSC statements will be kept confidential and marked 'Received'.

MSC statements that are properly identified in e-filing will be kept confidential.

MSC statements are kept confidential if properly identified in the e-filing.

IDC joint letter brief limited to 4 pages.

IDC briefs limited to 6 pages and must be filed 3 court days before the conference.

Each side is limited to 5 motions in limine, each capped at 5 pages; exceeding either limit requires leave of court.

Only one attorney may argue per party unless the court permits more, and the request may note an opportunity for a less experienced attorney.

Only one attorney per party may argue unless the court permits more to allow a less experienced attorney to argue.