Sacramento Superior Court Pre-Motion Conference Requirements

CRITICAL

A Trial Readiness Conference is required on all cases set for trial, scheduled one week before trial but not less than three days before trial, unless the court orders otherwise or the parties agree otherwise.

Unless otherwise ordered by the court, or agreed by the parties, the Court will require a Trial Readiness Conference (TRC) hearing on all cases set for trial. A TRC shall be scheduled one week before the trial, but not less than three (3) days before the trial.

CRITICAL

All law and motion pleadings must first be set for a short cause hearing, which has a maximum duration of 15 minutes unless extended by leave of court.

All Law and Motion pleadings shall first be set for a short cause hearing. A short cause hearing shall have a maximum duration of 15 minutes, unless extended by leave of court.

CRITICAL

In misdemeanor cases, no law and motion matter may be heard until a trial date has been set, and after a non-dispositive law and motion matter the case must be confirmed for trial.

After arraignment no law and motion matter may be heard unless a trial date has been set for a misdemeanor case. Upon concluding the law and motion matter, unless dispositive, the case shall be confirmed for trial

CRITICALCivil cases

Parties must meet and confer in good faith at least 30 calendar days before every case management conference, ideally in person or by video conference.

The Court orders the parties to meet and confer in good faith at least 30 calendar days prior to all CMCs pursuant to California Rules of Court, Rule 3.724.

CRITICAL

A Mandatory Settlement Conference is required for all matters proceeding to long cause hearing or trial, with specified exceptions.

Except as provided in subsection (B), a Mandatory Settlement Conference shall be set for all matters proceeding to long cause hearing or trial. (B) Mandatory Settlement Conference is not required for the following proceedings: Adoptions, Termination of Parental Rights in Adoption Proceedings, Freedom from Parental Custody and Control, Contempt, Domestic Violence Prevention, and Pre-Judgment default prove-up.

CRITICAL

Before filing a formal discovery motion, the requesting party must first make an informal request for the particular items sought when compliance with the earlier informal discovery request is deemed insufficient.

When a party's compliance with an informal discovery request under Local Rules, rule 10.20 is considered insufficient in some particular by the requesting party, the requesting party shall make an informal request for the particular items sought prior to making a formal discovery motion.

CRITICAL

At the Case Management Conference, counsel and self-represented parties must appear personally or by telephone (CRC 3.670), be familiar with the case, and be prepared to discuss the issues in CRC 3.724 and 3.727.

At the Case Management Conference, counsel for each party and each self-represented party must appear personally or, if permitted under California Rules of Court, rule 3.670, by telephone, must be familiar with the case, and must be prepared to discuss and commit to the party's position on the issues listed in California Rules of Court, rule 3.724 and rule 3.727.

CRITICAL

Unless otherwise ordered by the court, counsel for the parties in each dependency matter and any self- represented litigant shall meet and confer with each other and, where applicable, with the Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS), tribal representatives, and with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), as set forth herein, prior to seeking a court order on those matters described in this rule. Failure to meet and confer in good faith may be a basis for imposition of sanctions.

Unless otherwise ordered by the court, counsel for the parties in each dependency matter and any self- represented litigant shall meet and confer with each other and, where applicable, with the Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS), tribal representatives, and with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), as set forth herein, prior to seeking a court order on those matters described in this rule. Failure to meet and confer in good faith may be a basis for imposition of sanctions.

WARNINGCivil cases

Before filing a demurrer or motion to strike, parties are strongly encouraged to meet and confer about extending the responsive pleading deadline; if no stipulation is reached, the Court reserves June 6, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. for a hearing on such motions.

Prior to the filing of any demurrer and/or motion to strike, the parties are strongly encouraged to meet and confer regarding stipulating to an extension of the deadline to file a responsive pleading, including a demurrer, until a date subsequent to the initial Case Management Conference. Should the parties fail to reach such a stipulation, the Court hereby reserves June 6, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. in Department 22, for a hearing on any demurrer and/or motion to strike timely filed prior to this reserved date. This date is subject to continuation at the Court's discretion.

WARNINGCivil cases

If a discovery motion is filed without an IDC having been scheduled, the court is likely to schedule an IDC before hearing the motion.

If a discovery motion is filed without scheduling an IDC, it is likely that the court will schedule one before hearing the motion to “expedite the case, keep costs reasonable, and promote effective decision making by the court, the parties, and counsel.” (California Rules of Court 3.400)

WARNING

Parties must meet and confer and exchange motions in limine at least seven days before trial, identifying contested motions.

At least seven days prior to trial, the parties shall meet and confer and exchange motions in limine and identify the motions that are contested.

WARNING

Parties must meet and confer to identify agreed and disputed jury instructions.

The parties shall meet and confer to identify jury instructions the parties can agree upon and jury instructions the parties cannot agree upon.

WARNING

Pitchess and other personnel-records discovery motions may not be set for an evidentiary hearing except on a date selected after conferring with the opposing party and the law enforcement agency.

10.18 Setting Evidentiary Hearing on Discovery Motions (Pitchess). Motions seeking discovery or disclosure of personnel records including but not limited to a Discovery Motion (Pitchess) shall not be set for an evidentiary hearing except on a date as selected after conferring with opposing party and law enforcement agency. A motion to set such an evidentiary hearing may be brought within the time requirements prescribed by Local Rules, rule 10.14.

WARNING

Parties must meet and confer to identify agreed exhibits and exhibits with contested admissibility.

The parties shall meet and confer to identify those exhibits that may be admitted without objection and those exhibits as to which admissibility is contested.

WARNINGCivil cases

Prior to an IDC request, parties must identify mutually available Zoom dates within the next 30 calendar days, and counsel with full authority to resolve the discovery issues must appear unless excused.

Before emailing the IDC request to the Court, the prospective moving party shall have met and conferred with the opposing party to identify dates and times in the next 30 calendar days when all concerned parties are available for a Zoom IDC conference. Counsel and/or parties with full authority to resolve the discovery issue(s) must appear at the IDC unless excused by the Court.

WARNINGCivil cases

For a discovery dispute, the court strongly encourages an IDC before reserving a hearing date for a discovery motion.

If a discovery dispute arises, the court strongly encourages parties to request an IDC with the court before reserving a hearing date for any discovery motion.

WARNINGCivil cases

Parties are strongly encouraged to request an informal discovery conference before reserving a hearing date for any discovery motion.

The Court strongly encourages parties to request an IDC with the Court before reserving a hearing date for any discovery motion.

WARNINGCivil cases

The court strongly encourages parties to request an informal discovery conference before reserving a hearing date for a discovery motion.

The court strongly encourages parties to request an Informal Discovery Conference with the court before reserving a hearing date for any discovery motion.

WARNING

Motions requiring witness testimony (e.g., motion to suppress or Pitchess discovery motions) may not be set for an evidentiary hearing except on a date selected by the court with both sides present and after conferring with the law enforcement agency.

10.17 Setting Evidentiary Hearing Motions. Motions requiring the testimony of witnesses, including but not limited to a motion to suppress evidence or motions seeking discovery or disclosure of personnel records including but not limited to Discovery Motions (Pitchess) shall not be set for an evidentiary hearing except on a date as selected by the court with both sides present and after conferring with the law enforcement agency. A motion to set such an evidentiary hearing date may be brought within the time requirements prescribed by Local Rules, rule 10.14.

WARNING

Parties must meet and confer and prepare a joint witness list.

The parties shall meet and confer and prepare a joint witness list.

WARNING

All trial counsel and parties whose consent is required for a binding settlement must be personally present at the JDSC unless excused by the settlement conference judicial officer.

All trial counsel and parties whose consent is required to effect a binding settlement shall be personally present at the JDSC unless excused by the settlement conference judicial officer.

WARNING

No trial date may be set unless a pre-trial conference has been set or completed, unless the court orders otherwise.

The Juvenile Court adopts the policy that pre-trial statements and good faith efforts to settle dependency proceedings are an essential part of the Juvenile Court process, and that good faith efforts to settle shall be made during the pre- trial conference in conformity with the rules of this chapter. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, no trial date shall be set unless a pre-trial has been set or has been completed.

WARNING

Parties must meet and confer to agree on a joint statement of the case.

The parties shall meet and confer to agree on a joint statement of the case.

WARNINGCivil cases

Meet-and-confer obligations for discovery conferences must be completed at least one week in advance, in person, by phone, or by video conference.

Counsel must complete all meet and confer obligations either in person, by phone, or by video conference at least one week before scheduling a discovery conference.

INFOCivil cases

The EEC procedure applies only to PAGA actions commenced on or after June 19, 2024, per Labor Code section 2699.3(g)(l); earlier PAGA actions are not entitled to an EEC.

This section only applies to PAGA actions commenced on or after June 19, 2024, as per Labor Code,§ 2699.3(g)(l).

INFO

A Juvenile Dependency Settlement Conference may be ordered by the judicial officer on the court's own motion or requested by any party through a written request to the trial court department; the judicial officer sets the JDSC date upon approving the request.

The Juvenile Court has adopted a Juvenile Dependency Settlement Conference (JDSC) program to assist in resolution and/or reduction of issues to be litigated in complex, stagnant or lengthy cases. The judicial officer on their own may order the case for settlement conference. A request to participate in a settlement conference may be made by any party by submitting a written request to the trial court department. The JDSC date will be set by the judicial officer at the time they approve the request.

INFO

Law and motion hearings that exceed or are likely to exceed 15 minutes may be set for a long cause hearing.

Law and Motion hearings that exceeds, or are likely to exceed, 15 minutes maximum duration may be set for long cause hearing.