Judge Maureen M. Houska
Individual Rules, Standing Orders & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Limits & Logistics
Document Limits
Courtesy Copies
Courtesy copies
Court-wide- Email • Upon Filing
Joint Request for IDC
Court-wide
Adjournments
Court-wideRequest must include
Communication
Chambers
Phone
Court-wideClerk
Phone
Court-widePage & Word Limits3 rules
Requesting and responding papers shall not exceed five (5) pages in length, excluding exhibits, and exhibits should include only such information as is necessary to explain the discovery dispute.
- IDC requesting papers
- Up to 5 pages
- IDC responding papers
- Up to 5 pages
Excluded from page count
- •Exhibits
5. Trial Briefs: Trial briefs shall be no more than five (5) pages and shall be served on all parties and emailed to courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov as a pdf attachment five (5) court days before the trial.
- Trial brief
- Up to 5 pages
Motions shall not exceed five (5) pages.
- Page limit
- Up to 5 pages
- In limine motion
Document Format Requirements4 rules
Multi-page exhibits shall be numbered at the bottom of the page with the exhibit number plus the consecutive page number of the exhibit (i.e., Ex. 17-003 to refer to page 3 of exhibit 17).
The parties shall agree on a master set of exhibits, excluding impeachment materials, and shall place such exhibits into numerically tabbed binders, which binders shall not be more than two inches. The spine of the binder shall be appropriately labeled and shall indicate the exhibit numbers contained therein.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Exhibits, excluding impeachment materials, must be placed in numerically tabbed binders
- •Each binder must be no more than two inches thick
All pages of exhibits submitted in support of or opposition to motions should be consecutively numbered at the bottom of the page and references to exhibits in briefs or declarations ===== PAGE 4 ===== should include the page number.
- Exhibits
Formatting
- •Consecutively number all exhibit pages at the bottom of each page
If the parties wish to admit only certain pages of an exhibit, those pages should be separately tabbed and numbered as standalone exhibits.
Document Filing Requirements12 rules
All exhibits, including impeachment materials, shall be pre-marked using numbers, with each party assigned a unique number range to avoid duplication.
Unless otherwise agreed, Plaintiff shall prepare, serve and lodge the final set of instructions and verdict forms.
For pre-screening, at least 80 copies of the approved questionnaire shall be lodged with the court on the first day of trial.
Deposition transcripts on which the parties intend to refer to or read from at trial must be lodged with the Court on the first day of trial, and each transcript shall have its own notice of lodging.
Counsel shall meet and confer as to jury instructions and verdict forms. A joint set of agreed-upon jury instructions and verdict forms shall be lodged with the judicial assistant no later than the first day of trial.
Thereafter, the requesting party shall serve and lodge with the judicial assistant a joint proposed jury questionnaire (including all written instructions to jurors) by the date of the trial call.
Any party showing a PowerPoint or similar presentation to the jury in opening statements or closing arguments shall provide a printed hard copy of the slides to counsel and the clerk not later than 15 minutes before the presentation.
The Court will direct the prevailing party(ies) to serve and file a proposed judgment(s) consistent with the jury’s verdict(s) and in conformity with the Rules of Court and the Code of Civil Procedure.
In limine motions shall be limited to those necessary to resolve evidentiary or other legal issues before the selection of the jury.
Special jury instructions may be prepared, served and lodged by the party seeking them.
To the extent possible, the instructions and verdict forms shall be those approved by CACI.
Any party may request court approval to provide an abbreviated opening statement prior to jury selection. (Code of Civ. Proc., § 222.5, subd. (d).) The abbreviated opening statements shall not exceed two (2) minutes per party, and shall be neutral, non-argumentative descriptions of each party’s claims and/or defenses. The parties may agree upon a joint statement of the case in lieu of a mini-opening statement.
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
IDC requesting papers with the specified subject line must be emailed to Courtroom 20, with simultaneous copies to all other counsel or self-represented parties.
To request an IDC, requesting papers with the subject line “REQUEST FOR IDC” must be emailed, with a simultaneous email copy to all other counsel/self-represented parties, to Courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov.
Page 3 | IV. Informal Discovery Conferences (Code Civ. Proc. § 2016.080)
IDC responding papers must be emailed to Courtroom 20 no later than five days after the requesting papers are emailed.
Responding papers must be emailed to Courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov not later than five (5) days after the requesting papers are emailed.
Page 3 | IV. Informal Discovery Conferences (Code Civ. Proc. § 2016.080)
Master witness and exhibit lists must be emailed to Courtroom 20 five court days before trial.
The master witness and exhibit lists shall be emailed to courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov five (5) court days before trial.
Page 4 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures
The clerk’s office does not accept trial documents; trial documents must instead be emailed to Courtroom 20 under the stated timeline.
Important: The clerk’s office does not accept filing of trial documents. Trial documents shall be emailed to the Courtroom 20 email in accordance with the timelines set forth below so that the Court can be ready to address any pretrial issues at the trial call or on the first day of trial.
Page 4 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures
Parties may submit on a tentative decision by email before 8:00 a.m. on the day the matter is called, with all parties copied.
Parties may submit on the tentative decision by email to Courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov before 8:00 a.m. the day the matter is called. All parties must be copied on the email.
Page 4 | V. Law & Motion Procedures
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
A party that requests default must obtain a default judgment within 45 days after default is entered unless the Court grants an extension or other order.
the party who requested the entry of default must obtain a default judgment against the defaulting party within 45 days after the default was entered, unless the court has granted an extension of time or made other orders.
Page 1 | I. Case Management
posting jury fees by close of business on the date of the CMC
posting jury fees by close of business on the date of the CMC
Page 1 | I. Case Management
If no responsive pleading is served within the applicable time and no extension is granted, the plaintiff must request entry of default within 10 days after the service period has elapsed.
the plaintiff must file a request for entry of default within 10 days after the time for service has elapsed.
Page 1 | I. Case Management
A case management statement must be filed 15 days before the CMC unless the Court orders otherwise.
ensure a timely CMC statement has been filed 15 days before the CMC unless otherwise ordered by the Court
Page 1 | I. Case Management
IDC responding papers are due within five days after the requesting papers are emailed.
Responding papers must be emailed to Courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov not later than five (5) days after the requesting papers are emailed.
Page 3 | IV. Informal Discovery Conferences (Code Civ. Proc. § 2016.080)
The deadline for emailing the master witness and exhibit lists is five court days before trial.
The master witness and exhibit lists shall be emailed to courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov five (5) court days before trial.
Page 4 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures
Parties must directly file their trial documents with the Courtroom 20 judicial assistant on the first day of trial.
The parties shall file their trial documents directly with the judicial assistant in Courtroom 20 on the first day they begin trial.
Page 4 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures
The in limine briefing submission deadline is five court days before trial.
All motions in limine briefing shall be emailed to courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov as a pdf attachment five (5) court days prior to the date of the trial.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
The trial-brief submission deadline is five court days before trial.
Trial briefs shall be no more than five (5) pages and shall be served on all parties and emailed to courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov as a pdf attachment five (5) court days before the trial.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
A submission on the tentative decision must be emailed before 8:00 a.m. on the day the matter is called.
Parties may submit on the tentative decision by email to Courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov before 8:00 a.m. the day the matter is called.
Page 4 | V. Law & Motion Procedures
Service and Proof of Service Rules
The summons and complaint must be served promptly, and proof of service must be filed with the court.
Promptly serve the summons and complaint and file a proof of service thereof with the court.
Page 1 | I. Case Management
The Joint ADR Status Conference Statement must be filed and served at least five court days before the ADR Status Conference.
The ADR Status Conference Statement shall be filed and served at least five (5) court days before the ADR Status Conference
Page 2 | III. Alternative Dispute Resolution Status Conferences
A simultaneous electronic copy of IDC requesting papers must be sent to all other counsel and self-represented parties.
To request an IDC, requesting papers with the subject line “REQUEST FOR IDC” must be emailed, with a simultaneous email copy to all other counsel/self-represented parties, to Courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov.
Page 3 | IV. Informal Discovery Conferences (Code Civ. Proc. § 2016.080)
All parties must be copied on every email sent to the Court regarding trial documents.
All parties shall be copied on any email to the Court.
Page 4 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures
All parties must be copied on an email submitting on the tentative decision.
All parties must be copied on the email.
Page 4 | V. Law & Motion Procedures
All in limine motion briefing must be emailed to the courtroom as a PDF attachment five court days before trial.
All motions in limine briefing shall be emailed to courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov as a pdf attachment five (5) court days prior to the date of the trial.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
Trial briefs must be served on all parties.
Trial briefs shall be no more than five (5) pages and shall be served on all parties and emailed to courtroom20@ventura.courts.ca.gov as a pdf attachment five (5) court days before the trial.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
The Court will direct the prevailing party or parties to serve and file proposed judgments consistent with the jury’s verdicts and applicable rules.
The Court will direct the prevailing party(ies) to serve and file a proposed judgment(s) consistent with the jury’s verdict(s) and in conformity with the Rules of Court and the Code of Civil Procedure.
Page 8 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures
Witness and exhibit lists should be exchanged at least 30 days before trial.
Witness and exhibit lists should be exchanged at least thirty (30) days before trial.
Page 4 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures
Filing Fees and Waivers
Jury fees must be posted timely.
Timely post jury fees.
Page 1 | I. Case Management
Parties who agreed to pay jury fees must remit a check to the judicial assistant on the first day of trial.
Where parties choose to proceed by way of jury, a check shall be remitted to the judicial assistant on the first day of trial by any parties who have agreed to pay jury fees.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
Pre-Motion Conference Requirements
A party may not bring more than five in limine motions without leave of court.
No party shall bring more than five (5) in limine motions without leave of Court.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
The parties must meet and confer about the necessity of in limine motions and are encouraged to stipulate to evidentiary issues to avoid motions.
The parties shall meet and confer on the necessity of any motions in limine and are encouraged to stipulate to evidentiary issues as much as possible so as to avoid the need for motions.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
Parties generally should not bring motions seeking orders that merely compel compliance with existing law.
Motions that seek orders compelling compliance with existing law should generally not be asserted.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
The parties should agree on a briefing schedule and complete in limine motion briefing at least seven days before trial.
The parties should agree upon an acceptable schedule for the service of motions, oppositions thereto and reply briefs in support (if necessary), such that the parties can complete this briefing at least seven (7) days before trial.
Page 5 | Trial Rules and Procedures
Chambers Communication Rules
When trial documents are emailed to the Court, the subject line should include the name of the case, the case number and a description of the document being emailed as authorized herein.
When trial documents are emailed to the Court, the subject line should include the name of the case, the case number and a description of the document being emailed as authorized herein.
Page 4 | VI. Trial Rules and Procedures