Notice of limited scope representation and application to be relieved as attorney

(a) Notice of limited scope representation

A party and an attorney may provide notice of their agreement to limited scope representation by serving and filing a Notice of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-150).

(b) Notice and service of papers

After the notice in (a) is received and until either a substitution of attorney or an order to be relieved as attorney is filed and served, papers in the case must be served on both the attorney providing the limited scope representation and the client.

(c) Procedures to be relieved as counsel on completion of representation

Notwithstanding rule 3.1362, an attorney who has completed the tasks specified in the Notice of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-150) may use the procedures in this rule to request that he or she be relieved as attorney in cases in which the attorney has appeared before the court as an attorney of record and the client has not signed a Substitution of Attorney-Civil (form MC-050).

(d) Application

An application to be relieved as attorney on completion of limited scope representation under Code of Civil Procedure section 284(2) must be directed to the client and made on the Application to Be Relieved as Attorney on Completion of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-151).

(e) Filing and service of application

The application to be relieved as attorney must be filed with the court and served on the client and on all other parties or attorneys for parties in the case. The client must also be served with a blank Objection to Application to Be Relieved as Attorney on Completion of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-152).

(f) No objection

If no objection is served and filed with the court within 15 days from the date that the Application to Be Relieved as Attorney on Completion of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-151) is served on the client, the attorney making the application must file an updated form CIV-151 indicating the lack of objection, along with a proposed Order on Application to Be Relieved as Attorney on Completion of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-153). The clerk must then forward the order for judicial signature.

(g) Objection

If an objection to the application is served and filed within 15 days, the clerk must set a hearing date on the Objection to Application to Be Relieved as Attorney on Completion of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-152). The hearing must be scheduled no later than 25 days from the date the objection is filed. The clerk must send the notice of the hearing to the parties and the attorney.

(h) Service of the order

If no objection is served and filed and the proposed order is signed under (f), the attorney who filed the Application to Be Relieved as Attorney on Completion of Limited Scope Representation (form CIV-151) must serve a copy of the signed order on the client and on all parties or the attorneys for all parties who have appeared in the case. The court may delay the effective date of the order relieving the attorney until proof of service of a copy of the signed order on the client has been filed with the court.