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Verified judges, local rules, standing orders, and controlling division-assignment orders for Alpine County, Amador County, Butte County, Calaveras County, Colusa County, El Dorado County, Glenn County, Lassen County, Modoc County, Mono County, Nevada County, Placer County, Plumas County, Sacramento County, San Joaquin County, Shasta County, Sierra County, Siskiyou County, Sutter County, Tehama County, Trinity County, Yolo County, Yuba County — every entry cites its official source with a last-verified date.
Official site: https://appellate.courts.ca.gov/district-courts/3dca
219
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739
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Titles shown as circuit judges, county judges, and quasi-judicial officers per the official directory.
Chapter 6 (Rules 6.1 to 6.8.2): disposition goals consistent with Standard 2.2 of the Standards of Judicial Administration - misdemeanor cases ninety percent (90%) concluded within thirty (30) days after arraignment and one hundred percent (100%) within one hundred and twenty (120) days, felony preliminary examinations one hundred percent (100%) within ninety (90) days, felony trials one hundred percent (100%) concluded by the second trial period following arraignment on information (6.1 to 6.1(C)); the court to utilize the Alpine County and Uniform Bail Schedules when setting bail on an arrest warrant (6.2.1 to 6.2.5); arraignment completed and plea entered on the first day scheduled, persons appearing without counsel to file a Statement of Rights, and demurrers heard not later than the second week following the first appearance (6.3.1 to 6.3.3); counsel appearing at arraignment to announce counsel's name, the defendant's true name, the plea(s) and whether time is waived (6.3.4 to 6.3.4(H)); counsel may request a deferred arraignment/initial pre-trial conference on misdemeanors and infractions by letter, including facsimile, received at least one (1) court day prior to the hearing with proof of service on the District Attorney, a binding commitment by counsel to representation of the defendant (6.3.5 to 6.3.5(H)); misdemeanor scheduling - Initial Pre-Trial (IPT) generally not later than four (4) weeks after arraignment, Final Pre-Trial (FPT) generally forty-five (45) days prior to trial, Trial Readiness and Management Conference (TRMC) within fourteen (14) days of trial, and motions specially set to be heard not later than one (1) week before TRMC (6.3.6 to 6.3.6(F)); felony scheduling - Pre-Preliminary Conference (PPX) generally two (2) weeks after arraignment on complaint, Preliminary Examination (PX) generally not later than four (4) weeks after arraignment on complaint, Information arraignment generally two (2) weeks following holding order, Initial Pre-Trial (IPT) four (4) weeks after arraignment on Information, Final Pre-Trial (FPT) forty-five (45) days prior to trial, TRMC within fourteen (14) days of trial (6.3.7 to 6.3.7(I)); defendants personally present at Final Pre-trial Conferences, notwithstanding PC section 977, and no disposition negotiations after final Pre-trial Conference except pursuant to written motion and showing of good cause (6.3.8 to 6.3.9); all parties to file and serve a TRMC Statement ten (10) days prior to that conference, including motions in limine, proposed voir dire, proposed jury instructions and verdict form, a list of anticipated witnesses, a time estimate and a list and copy of all evidentiary exhibits (6.3.11); multiple cases set for the same trial period to proceed in order - no time waiver, in-custody defendants, felonies ahead of misdemeanors, then earliest filing date - trailing cases trailed day-to-day on one-half day notice, and counsel and defendants to appear at 8:30 a.m. on the first day of a scheduled trial (6.3.12 to 6.3.14); discovery reciprocal and governed by PC sections 1054-1054.7, informal requests for discovery deemed to occur at arraignment (6.4.1 to 6.4.2); PC sections 1192.5 and 1192.6 to apply also to a plea of guilty or no contest to a misdemeanor offense involving use of a weapon, the infliction of any injury, domestic violence, and/or aggravating facts, the defendant to state the terms of a conditional plea, and the District Attorney its approval, reasons and recommendation, on the record (6.5.1 to 6.5.1(D)); pleas to all felonies and to offenses with special sentence consequences accomplished by the contemporaneous filing of a fully executed relevant change of plea form, pleas pursuant to People v. West accompanied by a statement of factual basis (6.5.2 to 6.5.7); motions to continue which fail to comply with PC section 1050 disfavored (6.6.1 to 6.6.2); judgment and sentencing/probation hearings held not later than the fourth week following plea or verdict, time served in county jail satisfied by custody in El Dorado County (Placerville or South Lake Tahoe), and delayed surrender only upon a showing of good cause with a waiver pursuant to People v. Cruz, 44 Cal.3d 1247, and People v. Masloski, 25 Cal.4th 1212 (6.7.1 to 6.7.2); and any pleading of eight or more pages accompanied by an additional copy marked "Working Copy", a courtesy working copy to a visiting judge (6.8.1 to 6.8.2).
A standing order of the Superior Court of California, County of Alpine, dated May 15, 2019 and signed by Richard D. Meyer, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court, In re Late Charge pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 40310: effective immediately, the Court will no longer impose the 50% late charge on any traffic penalties not paid within 20 days pursuant to Vehicle Code section 40310.
Chapter 2 (Rules 2.1 to 2.3): to maintain integrity and impartiality of the judicial system the court will ensure that all proceedings are conducted to be fair and impartial to all participants, that all persons in and about the courtroom refrain from engaging in conduct that exhibits racial, gender, national origin, religious, or any other form of bias, and that all orders, rulings, or decisions are based on an objective balancing of competing rights and interests (2.1); the courthouse a historic building lacking in access and facilities to accommodate all persons with disabilities, the court does not discriminate on the basis of disability, disabled persons wishing to request accommodations may do so by notifying the court or completing Judicial Council Form MC-140, Request for Accommodations by Persons with Disabilities and Order, and sending it to the Court Executive Officer, PO Box 518, Markleeville, CA 96120, or by facsimile at 530-694-2119, and the court will provide such assistance or arrangement as may be appropriate and reasonable, including moving sessions of the court to a more suitable alternate location (2.2); and all references to attorney or counsel shall also refer to self-represented persons, these rules to apply equally to self-represented persons (2.3).
Chapter 5 (Rules 5.1 to 5.14.2): this Rule applies to all general civil cases filed in the trial court except those specified in CRC Rule 3.712 (b), (c), and (d) (5.1); cases given a designation as a Limited, Unlimited, or Exempt Exceptional case not later than the Initial Case Management Conference, a party desiring a particular designation to file a Differential Case Management Request for Designation or Exemption (5.2.1); the Notice of Initial Case Management Conference and blank Case Management Statement served with the Summons and Complaint/Cross-Complaint, and service of the action on adverse parties effected and proof of service filed within sixty (60) days of the filing of a complaint or cross-complaint which names new parties (5.3.1 to 5.3.2); a request for entry of default within ten days after the time for service has elapsed, one extension of time to respond, not to exceed thirty days (30), without leave of court, and stipulations to set aside a default with a proposed order for responsive pleadings by a date certain not more than thirty (30) days after the order is signed (5.4.1 to 5.4.3); motions to amend pleadings to include a proposed order and proposed amended pleading (5.5); an Initial Case Management Conference set by the Clerk within approximately one hundred and fifty (150) days of the filing of an action, Case Management Statements filed by all parties at least five (5) days before a conference, and appearance by telephone pursuant to CRC Rule 3.670 with Local Rule 1.7 for remote appearance information (5.6 to 5.6.5); all motions to include an estimate of the amount of time the hearing will entail and a proposed order, matters of one-half hour or less set on any regular civil calendar to trail criminal, juvenile and all other matters previously set, matters estimated to require more than one half hour specially set upon consultation with the Clerk, and the court does not regularly, but may, issue tentative decisions (5.7.1 to 5.7.2); court trials set upon a Request for Trial Setting, to which other parties may respond within ten (10) court days, or at a Case Management Conference, all civil court trials specially set (5.8); a mandatory settlement conference approximately thirty (30) days before trial except in short cause matters, a Settlement Conference Statement filed pursuant to CRC Rule 3.1380, a Confidential Addendum kept under seal, and each party appearing in the action to personally appear at the Settlement Conference (5.9.1 to 5.9.2); in all jury trials a Pretrial Management Conference within approximately two (2) weeks preceding the trial date, motions in limine and responses filed at least twenty (20) days and ten (10) days before the conference, and a Pretrial Management Conference Statement filed at least ten (10) days before the conference (5.10.1); the statement to include a proposed statement of the case, a witness list, an exhibit list, the submitting party's factual and legal contentions, stipulations, and proposed jury instructions and verdict forms (5.10.1(A) to 5.10.1(F)); initial jury fees deposited with the Clerk no later than the Pretrial Management Conference, the failure to meet this obligation construed as a waiver of jury (5.10.5); any pleading consisting of eight (8) or more pages, inclusive of attachments, accompanied by an additional copy conspicuously marked "Working Copy", and a courtesy working copy forward to the visiting judge (5.11.1 to 5.11.2); whenever a case settles, the plaintiff to notify the court in writing and dismiss the case pursuant to CRC Rule 3.138, an order to show cause hearing set should the case not be dismissed within forty-five (45) days of the Notice of Settlement (5.13); and a dismissal calendar of all unresolved cases in which the complaint was filed more than five (5) years before, pursuant to CCP section 583.10, and sanctions for failure to follow the procedures set forth in this rule and CRC Rule 3.1385 (5.14.1 to 5.14.2).
The court's instructions for the electronic submission of domestic violence or gun violence restraining order filings (Family Law Code § 6306.5(a)(1), Penal Code 18122(a)): the completed forms submitted to dvgvro@alpine.courts.ca.gov; the one file type accepted, .pdf (PDF), all other file types not accepted for filing; and, when scanning documents, confirming before submission that the scan captures the whole page so no part of the document is cut off, that blue or black ink is used so that all writing is visible, and that the scanner quality is at least 200 dpi so that the scanned image is not illegible; with an example of an accepted submission and an example of a rejected submission.
The court's local form ALP-CR-002 (Optional Form, New 07/01/2024), Request for Remote Appearance (Misdemeanor/ Felony): the form to use to request to appear remotely in a criminal case, also usable to notice all other parties of the request; the person who requests to appear remotely via Zoom (the defendant, the attorney or co-counsel for the defendant, or another), the hearing, and a proceeding that may require judicial approval, with the reasons, or one preauthorized for approval pursuant to Alpine County Superior Court Local Rule 1.7, California Rules of Court, or other statutory law; the name, role, email address and phone number of each person requesting to appear via Zoom, and contact information redacted on request; counsel's representation that the client has consented, will appear in person or requests to appear remotely and waives the right to appear personally, and that the terms and conditions were fully explained, understood and agreed to; the terms and conditions of remote appearances for criminal proceedings - conduct as though appearing in court in person; no scheduling conflicts, readiness throughout the entire calendar session and no other activity during the hearing; a failure of connection or a dropped call that the court may consider a failure to appear, the court then able to vacate the hearing, proceed, make rulings in the party's absence or issue a bench warrant, with a bail up to and including a no bail warrant; the remote appearance terminable for any disruption, noise, misconduct, miscommunication or technical problem; the court's discretion at all times to require any person to appear in person or to continue the hearing; and no photographing, recording, or broadcasting except as provided in California Rules of Court Rule 1.150, violators cited for contempt or subject to monetary sanctions; the clerk's or the judicial officer's decision; and the clerk's certificate of service on the Alpine County District Attorney.
The court is located in a remote mountain region which experiences severe winter weather resulting in hazardous driving conditions and road closure, travel during other seasons subject to lengthy delays due to road repair activities; the court will make accommodations for unforeseen circumstances making it unreasonably difficult to attend or timely appear for scheduled court sessions, but all persons with business in the court must anticipate that such conditions may impede travel and are advised to plan accordingly for appearances and the attendance of witnesses; consideration should be given to travel in advance of the day attendance is required; lodging is available but limited locally, the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce at 530-694-2475 for referral to local and regional facilities.
Chapter 1 (Rules 1.1 to 1.7.5): these rules known and cited as the Alpine County Superior Court Local Rules, supplementary and subject to any and all rules effective by the Judicial Council and statutes of this state (1.1); definitions of terms found in the California Rules of Court ("CRC") to control construction of terms in these rules (1.2); failure to comply with any of these rules may result in the imposition of sanctions pursuant to CRC Rule 2.30, Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") sections 177.5 and/or 575.2 (1.4); the Court Executive Officer also to serve as Clerk of the Superior Court and Jury Commissioner (1.5); remote appearances - by video, audio, or audio alone upon request - "Civil Cases" to include all cases except criminal cases and petitions for habeas corpus, and the court retains the discretion to require any person to appear in person (1.7); in civil cases parties permitted to appear remotely for all case management conferences, trial setting conferences, law and motion matters, status review hearings and any other non-evidentiary hearings other than those matters specifically excluded under CCP section 367.76 and Welfare and Institutions Code section 679.5 (1.7.1); a party who elects to appear remotely to file Notice of Remote Appearance (California Judicial Council form RA-010) at least three (3) court days prior to the scheduled hearing, notice to other parties at least two (2) court days prior (1.7.1(A)); for a remote evidentiary hearing or non-jury trial, including unlawful detainer and small claims matters, notice by the court at least ten (10) court days before the hearing, a party's Notice of Remote Appearance (form RA-010) at least fifteen (15) court days before the hearing or trial date and notice to other parties at least ten (10) court days prior (1.7.2 to 1.7.2(A)); an Opposition to Remote Proceeding at Evidentiary Hearing or Trial (California Judicial Council form RA-015) by serving and filing at least five (5) court days before the proceeding, or at least noon the court day before when a party gives or receives less than fifteen (15) court days' notice (1.7.2(B)); a list of documents and photos with copies mailed and received by the court at least five (5) court days before the scheduled hearing (1.7.2(C)); infraction proceedings, including arraignments and trials, conducted remotely, a defendant's objection received at least five (5) days before (1.7.3(A)); misdemeanor defendants and/or their attorney may appear remotely in non-evidentiary proceedings, leave of court required for evidentiary hearings (1.7.3(B)); felony defendants and their attorney required to personally appear at arraignments, violation of parole/(PRCS) petitions, sentencing hearings, and at all evidentiary proceedings, unless otherwise authorized by the court (1.7.3(C)); in juvenile dependency proceedings a Request to Appear Remotely (California Judicial Council form RA-025) filed no later than three (3) court days prior to the scheduled hearing (1.7.4(A)); witnesses to appear in person unless all parties have consented, a request for a witness's remote appearance no later than close of business three (3) court days before, and a request to compel physical presence no later than close of business day two (2) court days before, form RA-030 (1.7.4(C) to 1.7.4(E)); and in juvenile justice proceedings a minor has a right to be physically present, which the minor may waive in consultation with counsel and elect to proceed remotely, and the court shall not require any party or witness to appear through the use of remote technology (1.7.5).
Chapter 3 (Rules 3.1 to 3.10): the repealed rule related to the Regular Sessions of the Court, Calendars, and Assignment of Judges, to deviation from regular scheduling for convenience, to Long Cause Matters – Special Setting, and to the Assignment of Judges – Code of Civil Procedures §170.6 (3.1 to 3.4); the court does not reserve a specific day or time for hearing of ex-parte applications, such matters set by contacting the Clerk's office, notice given at a minimum as provided by the CRC and any applicable statute, and this local rule does not apply to ex-parte applications for domestic violence or civil harassment restraining orders, elder or dependent adult protective orders, or applications in criminal proceedings for the confidential appointment of experts or investigators (3.5); all criminal jury trials regularly scheduled for a two-week period each quarter of the year, the schedule for the following year available in the clerk's office on or about each October 1, criminal court trials specially set, all civil jury trials subject to special setting so as not to conflict with quarterly criminal jury trials, jurors in the Bear Valley area exempt from jury service when Highway 4 is closed, and the "one day/one trial" goals of CRC Rule 2.1002 (3.6); the court to provide a court reporter in all matters statutorily required, official court reporters normally available for all felony and misdemeanor criminal proceedings as well as juvenile proceedings and for Domestic Violence Prevention Act Restraining Orders, Gun Violence Restraining Orders, and Civil Harassment Restraining Orders, a party who requests a court reporter not required by statute to provide and pay for a certified court reporter, the parties to arrange for reporting services in all civil matters, responsible for payment of court reporter attendance fees, and to order and pay for any transcript directly with the court reporter, and electronic recording technology the official reporting service for infractions and, upon order of the court, in misdemeanor and limited civil proceedings (3.7); recording of proceedings, other than by an official court reporter, prohibited, absent judicial permission (3.7.1); facsimile filing and service of documents to comply with CRC Rule 2.300 et seq, facsimile filings not to exceed twenty (20) pages, inclusive of attachments, accompanied by the Facsimile Transmission Cover Sheet (California Judicial Council form MC-005) as the first page transmitted, transmissions not received in their entirety by 4:30 PM filed the following day, the cost $1.00 per page, payment by a check placed in the mail or submitted through the court's website within twenty-four (24) hours (3.8.1); a request for copies of any fax-filed documents made on the Facsimile Transmission Cover Sheet, the court charges $0.50 per page, plus postage (3.8.3); a self-addressed, stamped envelope provided for the return of endorsed-filed copies, documents forwarded without a return envelope not returned (3.9.1); and the County of Alpine, having no jail facility and utilizing the jail services of the County of El Dorado, adopts annually at the beginning of the calendar year as its uniform countywide bail schedule the uniform countywide bail schedule for the previous calendar year of the Superior Court of California, County of El Dorado, notice given to the parties specified in PC section 1269b(f) (3.10).
Chapter 4 (Rules 4.1 to 4.4): attorneys dressed in neat and appropriate business attire for all court appearances, attorneys, litigants, witnesses, and spectators to dress and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the traditional dignity of the superior court, no person to appear in court without a shirt, barefoot or with a bare midriff, sunglasses, hats, or any clothing that displays obscene, gang related, offensive, or inappropriate words or pictures not worn in court, allowance made for inclement weather, and the bailiff may remove any person from court who violates this rule (4.1); each and every person present in the courtroom to "maintain the respect due to the courts of justice and judicial officers" (Business and Professions Code section 6068(b)), persons in the courtroom not to talk to the clerk when court is in session, converse in a manner that distracts from the proceedings, eat, drink, chew gum, read newspapers, repeatedly or needlessly click pens, jiggle coins or keys, and no person other than involved attorneys and court personnel to communicate with a prisoner without leave of the court (4.2); the court's general policy to permit attorneys and self-represented persons wide latitude in the use of the courtroom, persons desiring to move away from the counsel table encouraged to seek prior approval of the court and to utilize the bailiff to transmit documents or objects, blanket approval for free movement in prolonged proceedings (4.3.1); no attorney, self-represented person or witness to approach or communicate with prospective or impaneled jurors, including alternates (4.3.4); and persons in the courtroom not to physically or audibly react with approval, disapproval, agreement, disagreement, pleasure, displeasure, or any other visible emotional display (4.4).
Chapter 7 (Rules 7.1 to 7.5.2): the court adopts the trial by declaration process defined in Vehicle Code ("VC") section 40902, trials by declaration processed in accordance with CRC Rule 4.210 (7.1); any person who fails to appear as provided by law may be deemed to have elected a trial by written declaration pursuant to VC section 40903 (7.2); the court takes judicial notice of all surveys lodged with the court, the certified survey produced upon request for inspection by the defendant (7.3); prior to the date on which the defendant promised to appear, the defendant may request a continuance pursuant to VC section 40506.5, the clerk authorized to grant a three (3) week continuance (7.4(1)); any request to continue a traffic trial supported by good cause and received by the court at least ten (10) days before the date of trial, no request for continuance received after that date granted unless the interests of justice require a continuance (7.4(2)); juveniles issued citations for infractions ordered to appear in court, the court to require the appearance of the juvenile and at least one parent, either appearance excused for good cause shown (7.5.1); and a defendant issued a speeding citation in which the alleged speed is more than 100 mph, the court will order the defendant to appear in court (7.5.2).
Civil matters heard as scheduled by remote video teleconference via Zoom unless otherwise ordered by the Court, attorneys and parties without counsel instructed to contact the Clerk's Office for the information necessary to appear remotely; filing by mail (P.O. Box 518), by fax ((530) 694-2119; fax filing fees $1.00 per page, 20 pages maximum - the Local Rules) or in person, the Clerk's Office accepting filings from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; fees by the Statewide Civil Fee Schedule, fee waivers; ADR mediation shared with the El Dorado County Superior Court, South Lake Tahoe Branch, upon referral - parties who voluntarily agree to the ADR process contact the Clerk's Office to have their information forwarded to the El Dorado County Court Clerk; civil harassment protective orders in the Civil division; the court does not publish tentative rulings.