Judge Dana K. Caudill
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Summary Judgment Motions
- Two Weeks Before Hearing
Witness List, Exhibit List, Trial Brief, Motion in Limine, Proposed Jury Questionnaire
- Day After Email
Courtesy copies
Court-wide- Email • Upon Filing
Joint Request for IDC
Court-wide
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Court-wideClerk
Phone
Court-widePage & Word Limits3 rules
Requesting papers shall not exceed 5 pages in length, excluding exhibits, and exhibits shall include only such information as is necessary to explain the discovery dispute.
- IDC request
- Up to 5 pages
Excluded from page count
- •Exhibits
Trial Briefs: Trial briefs shall be no more than 5 pages and shall be served on all parties and emailed to courtroom21@ventura.courts.ca.gov at least three (3) court days before trial.
- Trial brief
- Up to 5 pages
Motions in limine shall not exceed 5 pages.
- Motion in limine
- Up to 5 pages
Document Format Requirements6 rules
Exhibits must be numerically pre-marked, organized in tabbed binders no more than two inches thick, labeled by exhibit number range, and provided as a complete set to each party.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Binders must not be more than two inches thick
Court's wording
All exhibits, including impeachment materials, shall be pre-marked using numbers, with each party assigned a unique number range to avoid duplication. The parties shall agree on a master set of exhibits, excluding impeachment materials, and shall place such exhibits into numerically tabbed binders. The binders shall not be more than two inches, and the spine of the binder shall be labeled to indicate the number range of the exhibits contained in each binder. The parties are responsible to ensure that each party has a complete set of exhibits.
Any party showing a PowerPoint or similar presentation to the jury in opening statements or closing arguments shall provide a printed hardcopy of the slides to all other parties and the Court clerk at least 15 minutes prior to the presentation.
Exhibits submitted in support of or in opposition to a motion must consecutively numbered at the bottom of the page and references to exhibits in briefs or declarations should include the page number.
Any party may request court approval to provide abbreviated opening statements in accordance with CCP 222.5(d). Abbreviated statements shall not exceed 2 minutes per party and shall include only neutral non-argumentative descriptions of each party’s claims and defenses.
Formatting
- •Abbreviated opening statements require court approval under CCP 222.5(d).
Exhibits should be tabbed at the bottom of the pleadings.
If an exhibit is more than five (5) pages, please highlight the relevant portions of the exhibit.
- Exhibits
- More than 5 pages
Document Filing Requirements6 rules
All requests for an IDC must be made jointly by the parties in writing.
Exhibits must be identified and authenticated by a supporting declaration.
The parties must meet in advance of the ADR Status conference for the purpose of preparing a joint ADR Status Conference Statement.
The Joint ADR Status Conference Statement shall be filed and served at least 5 court days before the ADR Status Conference and shall contain the following information:
Requests for an IDC should include the following:
with a subject line that includes “SUBMISSION ON TENTATIVE”, Case Number, Title and Party.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
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.
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.
Page 5 | VI. Trial Rules & Procedures
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
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.
Moving papers ===== PAGE 2 ===== are to be filed no later than noon the court day prior to the hearing. If the documents are received after the filing deadline, your hearing may be continued to the next available date.
Page 1 | I. Case Management
Counsel must file a meaningful Case Management Conference statement at least 15 days before the hearing to avoid sanctions.
Appearance counsel’s failure to be properly informed about the case and/or failure to file a meaningful CMC Statement at least 15 days before the hearing.
Page 1 | I. Case Management
The joint ADR Status Conference Statement must be filed and served at least five court days before the conference and must state the case summary, resolution efforts, remaining discovery, planned resolution steps, and trial readiness or issues requiring court involvement.
The Joint ADR Status Conference Statement shall be filed and served at least 5 court days before the ADR Status Conference and shall contain the following information:
Page 3 | III. Alternative Dispute Resolution Status Conferences (“ADR Status Conference”).
All motions in limine must be emailed to the court three days before trial.
All motions in limine shall be emailed to courtroom21@ventura.courts.ca.gov 3 days before trial.
Page 5 | VI. Trial Rules & Procedures
A party may submit on a tentative decision by email to Courtroom 21, copying all other parties, before 8:00 a.m. on the hearing day, using a subject line that includes the specified text, case number, title, and party.
Parties may submit on the tentative decision by email, with a copy to all other parties in the matter, to courtroom21@ventura.courts.ca.gov before 8:00 a.m. on the day set for the hearing, with a subject line that includes “SUBMISSION ON TENTATIVE”, Case Number, Title and Party.
Page 4 | V. Law & Motion Procedures
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Trial briefs must be served on all parties and emailed to the court at least three court days before trial.
Trial briefs shall be no more than 5 pages and shall be served on all parties and emailed to courtroom21@ventura.courts.ca.gov at least three (3) court days before trial.
Page 5 | VI. Trial Rules & Procedures
A party requesting a jury questionnaire must serve and lodge the joint proposed questionnaire, including written juror instructions, by the trial-call date.
The requesting party(ies) shall serve and lodge with the judicial assistant the joint proposed jury questionnaire (including all written instructions to jurors) by the date of the trial call.
Page 7 | VI. Trial Rules & Procedures
Unless otherwise agreed, the plaintiff must prepare, serve, and lodge the final jury instructions and verdict forms.
Unless otherwise agreed, the plaintiff shall prepare, serve, and lodge the final set of instructions and verdict forms.
Page 7 | VI. Trial Rules & Procedures
The court will direct the prevailing parties to serve and file a proposed judgment consistent with the jury verdict and applicable California rules.
The Court will direct the prevailing party(ies) to serve and file a proposed judgment consistent with the jury’s verdict and in conformity with the California Rules of Court and the Code of Civil Procedure.
Page 8 | VI. Trial Rules & Procedures
Courtesy Copy Requirements
Courtesy copies are required for all papers supporting or opposing a motion for summary judgment.
The Court requires courtesy copies of all papers filed in support of and in opposition to a motion for summary judgment.
Page 4 | V. Law & Motion Procedures
All summary-judgment courtesy copies must be delivered to Courtroom 21 by 8:30 a.m. at least two weeks before the hearing.
All courtesy copies must be delivered to Courtroom 21 at 8:30 a.m. at least two weeks in advance of the hearing date.
Page 4 | V. Law & Motion Procedures
Courtesy paper copies of all trial documents must be delivered to Courtroom 21 by 8:30 a.m. on the court day after the documents are emailed to the court.
COURTESY COPIES OF ALL TRIAL DOCUMENTS: The Court requires courtesy paper copies of all trial documents (i.e., witness lists, exhibit lists, trial briefs, motions in limine, any proposed jury questionnaires). All courtesy copies must be delivered to Courtroom 21 by 8:30 a.m. on the court day after they are emailed to the Court.
Page 5 | VI. Trial Rules & Procedures
Adjournment & Extension Requirements
Trial dates are firm, continuances are disfavored, and continuance requests must comply with CRC 3.1332.
Trial dates are firm. Requests for continuances are disfavored and any such requests must adhere to CRC 3.1332.
Page 1 | I. Case Management
Chambers Communication Rules
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.”
To request an IDC, requesting papers with the subject line “REQUEST FOR IDC” must be emailed to Courtroom 21 at Courtroom21@ventura.courts.ca.gov and copied to all attorneys and self- represented litigants.
Page 3 | IV. Informal Discovery Conferences (“IDC”)