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An order issued under the California Rules of Court governing court administration and technology, including rule 10.430, on generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte: it adopts the Judicial Council of California's AI Model Policy; allows court personnel limited administrative and support uses, advisory and non-determinative; prohibits generative AI in judicial decision-making, the input of confidential, sealed or non-public information into a system not approved and secured, and public-facing communications that could be taken for legal advice; delegates oversight to the Court Executive Officer (rules 10.430 and 10.610); requires an affirmative disclosure when generative AI materially assisted in drafting a court document, memorandum, report or proposed order intended for filing, circulation to parties or the court record (not for de minimis or purely mechanical uses, nor for a judicial officer's own drafting tools in chambers); keeps the person signing, issuing or approving a document fully accountable; and, for attorneys and self-represented litigants (Section XI), states that SB 574 will change BP 6068 and other statutes to include requirements of court users and practitioners to report the use of AI and of parties to ensure the accuracy of citations, and that the Court shall require adherence to all mandated reporting requirements per SB574.
The policy effective December 16, 2025 - official court reporters provided, as available, in felony criminal cases, criminal trials, juvenile, family law and Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) conservatorships, and, unless otherwise required by law, not available for infractions, misdemeanors, limited and unlimited civil, and probate; electronic recording for traffic court trials, misdemeanor matters and other proceedings on good cause; transcripts ordered by email with the name of the case, the case number, the date or dates of the proceeding and the name of the court reporter, on the court's request form (the raw electronic recording not available to the public); and visiting court reporters in civil and probate proceedings - secured by the attorneys and litigants, the Stipulation and Appointment of Official Reporter Pro Tempore filed in the courtroom within five days of the proceeding; with links to the court reporter shortage report and the standing order on electronic recording (decided in build/del_norte_catalog.py).
The assignment of cases to the departments, effective immediately: cases assigned for all purposes to the department and its judge; family law matters, domestic violence restraining orders and limited civil cases, including landlord-tenant, probate and small claims cases, to Department 2; civil harassment matters and the other unlimited civil cases to Department 1; child support matters under AB 1058 to the Child Support Commissioner in Department 3; juvenile delinquency matters to Department 1; misdemeanor matters to Department 2; felony matters to Department 2 until bind-over and then to Department 1; juvenile dependency cases to Department 2, a family's cases together; infraction matters to the "Judge Pro Tern" (as printed) in Department 3; Judge D. Darren McElfresh in Department 1, presiding judge and presiding judge of the juvenile court, and Judge Karen D. Olson in Department 2, assistant presiding judge and assistant presiding judge of the juvenile court; and disqualification and unavailability, with referral to the Judicial Council for assignment.
Effective immediately, Standing Order 19-002 is rescinded, and the Court will apply Penal Code § 1209.5(c)(1) to all requests for Community Work Service.
A purported "notice of unavailability" under Tenderloin Housing Clinic, Inc. v. Sparks (1992) 8 Cal.App.4th 299 is not a fileable document under the California Rules of Court and is an impermissible infringement of a trial court's inherent power to control its calendar (Carl v. Superior Court (2007) 157 Cal.App.4th 73, 76-77); any such notice presented to the Clerk's Office for filing will be returned by the clerk to the presenting party.
The policy of fee reduction to the lowest whole dollar when accepting cash payments: AB77, effective January 1, 2022, eliminated the Installment Charge Fee and required courts to cease collecting its outstanding balances, leaving some fine balances not in whole dollars; the Court will not collect the cents owing on a fine when accepting a cash payment (G.C. 68083.5) - a balance of $35.16 is rounded to $35.00; cash payments only.
Clerk counters open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. effective July 6, 2021; Courthouse Mailbox #31 in the main lobby open from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for filings after the counter closes, documents placed in it filed on the date placed; the exterior court mailbox on the H Street side available 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the filing deadlines - documents in cases with a calendar date by 10:30a.m. the court day before (later ones filed in open court), requests to add to calendars by 10:30a.m. the prior day, criminal complaints, requests to add, signed agreements to appear on active warrants and bail review reports for the 1:10p.m. in-custody arraignment calendar by 10:30a.m. the day of, and criminal complaints with signed agreements to appear for Tuesdays at 1:30p.m. and Fridays at 10:30am by 3:30p.m. the day before; new juvenile petitions and detention hearing add-ons by calling the judge's judicial assistant; and exceptions on a proper and valid reason.
Hazardous, heavy or bulky exhibits received only under this order: evidence limited to the items required and retained for the minimum time required by law; the permission of the judge assigned to the hearing or trial before such an exhibit is brought into the courthouse, and a photograph, technical report or dummy object substituted where possible for inherently dangerous items (firearms and ammunition, explosives, flammable or corrosive liquids, liquid drugs, samples requiring refrigeration, controlled, toxic and radioactive substances) and for heavy (over three (3) pounds) or bulky (over one (1) cubic foot) items; a written application to bring an exhibit in without substitution, with a written statement of the seven matters listed for toxic or hazardous materials; the conditions when permission is granted (sealed and labeled, kept and stored by the party under Penal Code §1417.3, with a photographic record); the return of exhibits under Penal Code §§ 1417.2, 1417.3 and 1417.5 and, in civil cases, Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1952(a) and 1952.2, with a photographic record substituted; and the duties of the party or agency to whom an exhibit is returned.
Chapter 9 (Rules 9.1 to 9.11): all criminal proceedings (9.1); accusatory pleadings - a separate file and a duplicate original for each co-defendant, complaints presented for filing not later than 10:30 a.m. on the day of the first appearance for a defendant in custody or 3:30 p.m. of the second Court day before it for a defendant not in custody, and informations and indictments by 3:30 p.m. the day before arraignment (9.2); discovery at the first arraignment, or within one (1) court day (9.3); pretrial motions under rule 4.111 of the CRC (ten (10), five (5) and two (2) court days), motions to suppress under Penal Code section 1538.5, felony in-limine motions by the day before the last pretrial conference, and motions to suppress or dismiss heard not later than five (5) days before trial (9.4); the felony readiness conference, usually one day before the preliminary hearing (9.5); trial setting (9.6); proposed voir dire questions (9.7); the pretrial conference - meeting and conferring, the trial attorneys' attendance, a written statement of the case, no pleas on the morning of a jury trial except to all charges, and in misdemeanor cases a witness list, a statement of the case and marked exhibits by 3:00 p.m. the day before trial (9.8); CALCRIM jury instructions and their submission (9.9); court conduct (9.10); and sentencing - letters and submissions served and lodged by 2:30 p.m. the day before the hearing, and remand to custody (9.11).
Chapter 8 (Rules 8.1 to 8.6): the civil law and motion department designated by standing order, which also hears petitions for change of name, emancipation of minors, harassment petitions and applications for a guardian ad litem; a moving party's failure to appear; notice when a matter is dropped; one continuance by stipulation if the Court is informed at least five (5) days before the hearing; civil law and motion matters heard at 9:00 a.m. on Fridays and unlawful detainer actions at 3:30 p.m. on Mondays unless changed by standing order or order of the Court; and a separate family law and motion calendar (8.1); telephonic appearances under rule 3.670 (c) of the CRC through CourtCall, arranged not less than three (3) court days before the hearing at (888) 882-6878, and not generally allowed for contested summary judgment motions or settlement conferences unless approved in advance (8.2); judicial notice under Evidence Code sections 452 or 453 - copies to the Court and each party, and court files brought to the courtroom on arrangements at least three (3) days in advance (8.3); matters submitted without appearance, on notice at least three (3) days before the hearing, with proposed orders at least five (5) days before (8.4); late-filed papers and courtesy copies (8.5); and writs of review, mandate and prohibition - service under Code of Civil Procedure sections 1107 and 1088.5, motions and orders to show cause, alternative writs served at least five (5) days before the ex-parte hearing, pleadings, evidence confined to the administrative record in administrative mandate proceedings (section 1094.5), meeting and conferring before the first hearing, the scope of review and summary denial (8.6).
Chapter 7 (Rules 7.1 to 7.3): jury trials - jury fees for the first day due no later than twenty-five (25) calendar days before trial (five (5) calendar days in unlawful detainer actions), no jury drawn without them, the schedule of jury fees, waiver and refunds (Code of Civil Procedure section 631), requested jury instructions under rule 2.1055 of the CRC on CACI forms, delivered no later than the first morning of trial, instructions for the jury room unmarked by party, written motions in-limine filed no later than the readiness conference, and the demand for jury trial (7.1); ex parte applications under rule 3.1200 – 3.1207 of the CRC - notice to all parties no later than 10:00 a.m. the court day before (shorter reasonable notice in unlawful detainer proceedings), the contents of the notice, the declaration regarding notice, no application rejected for filing, and applications without a personal appearance in the Court's discretion (7.2); and the schedule of attorney fees in default actions on notes and contracts - 25% of the first $2,000 (a minimum fee of $175), 20% of the next $4,000, 15% of the next $4,000, 10% of the next $10,000, 5% of the next $30,000 and 2% of the next $50,000 (7.3).
Chapter 6 (Rules 6.1 to 6.3): the Court Executive Officer as Jury Commissioner, who directs that a trial jury venire be drawn and summoned (6.1); the Deputy Jury Commissioner (6.2); and requests for excuse from jury service presented in writing to the Jury Commissioner (6.3).
Chapter 5 (Rules 5.1 to 5.5): settlement conferences under rule 3.1380 of the CRC, mandatory or voluntary, and how they are set (5.1); the settlement conference statement, in pleading form, filed and served at least five (5) court days before the conference, and its contents (5.2); the duty to inform the Court immediately of a settlement by a written notice of settlement, on pain of sanctions (5.3); keeping the Court advised during the week before trial, and jury fees forfeited when the Court is not timely notified (5.4); and all parties, the attorneys who will try the case and a representative of each insurance company with actual authority to settle personally present unless excused (5.5).
Chapter 4 (Rules 4.1 to 4.3): the civil cases outside the general civil case definition of local rule 3.2, managed under rule 3.720 - 3.771 of the CRC and brought into the ECT on noticed motion, stipulation or the court's own motion (4.1); the at-issue memorandum - filed and served within one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days from the filing of the complaint, available trial dates designated between sixty (60) and one hundred twenty (120) days for trials of one day or less and between ninety (90) and two hundred ten (210) days for longer ones, and a CMC on the court's own motion if none is filed (4.2); and a CMC on request under local rule 3.4 (b)-(d) (4.3).
Chapter 3 (Rules 3.1 to 3.6): the Expedited Civil Track rules implementing the Trial Court Delay Reduction Act (Government Code § 68600 et seq.) for general civil cases filed after the rule's effective date - earlier ones under local rule 4.1 – 4.3 - with no removal from the track by a challenge under Code of Civil Procedure section 170.6 (3.1); the general civil cases and the cases excluded (3.2); time standards - 90% within 12 months, 98% within 18 months and 100% within 24 months; summons and complaint served no later than ninety (90) calendar days after filing, responsive pleadings within thirty (30) calendar days of service (an extension not exceeding fifteen (15) calendar days), cross-complaints and responses, and the CMC set approximately one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days after the initial pleading (3.3); case management - the notice of inclusion served with the complaint, the case management statement filed and served no later than fifteen (15) calendar days before the CMC and its contents, meeting and conferring in person or by telephone, the CMC attended in person or by telephone (not by telephone for attorneys who have offices in Del Norte County unless ordered), continuances by stipulation no later than the court day before (rescheduled within thirty (30) calendar days) or by noticed motion, and the orders the court may make (3.4); motions for relief from time limits, signed by the attorney and the moving party, granted only on good cause (3.5); and motions on the law and motion calendar - the CMC calendar is not one (3.6).
Chapter 2 (Rules 2.1 to 2.4 and 2.6 to 2.10, as numbered): the calendar policy determined by the Presiding Judge, cases assigned by department and judges assigned to departments by standing orders, and a daily calendar posted for each department (2.1); the Clerk's Office hours, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on court days (2.2); facsimile filing in civil, probate and family law matters under rule 2.300 of the CRC - the charge, the Facsimile Transmission Cover Sheet, the check arriving within five (5) court days, the number (707) 465-4005, and no more than thirty-five (35) pages (2.3); the Presiding Judge, elected by the judges, an Assistant Presiding Judge (each for one (1) year) and the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court (2.4); the Court Executive Officer, appointed under Government Code sections 71620 and 77001, as the Clerk of the Court (2.6); courtroom decorum - attire, electronic devices turned off before entering a courtroom, and each judge's decorum rules by standing order (2.7); court files not removed without order of the Court (2.8); "Day" meaning "Court day" (Code of Civil Procedure sections 133-136) (2.9); and a judge's vacation day (rule 10.603(c)(2)(H) of the CRC) (2.10).
Chapter 17 (Rules 17.1 to 17.5): what meeting and conferring requires - good faith and diligent efforts, not demand letters, perfunctory e-mails, unreasonably short deadlines or a single unreturned telephone call (17.1); avoiding conflicting court appearances - checking in with the clerk when the delay will not exceed fifteen (15) minutes, otherwise a consultation with the judge, generally at least one (1) court day before the hearing (17.2); inherently dangerous exhibits examined, secured and approved by the Court bailiff before they are brought into the courtroom, firearms secured by a nylon tie or trigger guard and examined to be inoperable, and evidence retained for the minimum time required by law (17.3); electronic recordings offered in evidence under rule 2.1040 of the CRC, with a typewritten transcript tendered to the Court and any opposing party (17.4); and text messages and e-mails offered as printouts, the relevant portions highlighted in yellow (17.5).
Chapter 16 (Rules 16.1 to 16.4): rule 1.150 of the CRC governs (16.1); no photographing, recording or broadcasting of courtroom proceedings except as ordered, and no photographing or recording of jurors anywhere in the courthouse (16.2); requests for media coverage on form MC-500 filed not less than five (5) days in advance with form MC-510, and any opposition within one (1) day of notice (16.3); and violations as unlawful interference with the proceedings (16.4).
Chapter 15 (Rule 15.1): the Court generally does not refer cases to judicial arbitration, having found that judicial arbitration has not reduced the time and expense of resolving litigation in Del Norte County (15.1).
Chapter 14 (Rules 14.1 to 14.4): the list of Certified Court Interpreters approved by the Court (14.1); the interpreters the Court provides - for criminal and delinquency defendants with limited English (California Constitution, Article I, Section 14), for deaf or hearing impaired parties and witnesses in civil proceedings (Evidence Code § 754), for witnesses (§ 752) and writings (§753), and in small claims, domestic violence and family law cases where domestic violence is an issue (§ 755(b)) - and a fee in other civil cases (14.2); civil requests in writing at least fifteen (15) court days before the trial or hearing, with any fee (14.3); and notice that an interpreter is needed in criminal and juvenile proceedings - before in-custody arraignment or at arraignment or first appearance, by jail staff, the defendant or counsel, the probation officer or the social worker (14.4).
Chapter 13 (Rules 13.1 to 13.3): the proceedings a court reporter reports unless otherwise ordered or waived (except in capital cases) - felony criminal proceedings (except bail reviews, arraignments and readiness conferences before the preliminary hearing), suppression motions, probation violations, capital cases, law and motion matters, jury trials, domestic violence restraining order requests and contempt proceedings (13.1); in civil proceedings each party informs the Court whether it requests an official court reporter, and a party requesting one where neither the rule nor a statute requires it provides and pays for a certified court reporter approved by the Court (Government Code section 68086, rule 2.956 of the CRC) (13.2); and civil proceedings of less than one (1) hour reported without cost on request, except small claims and unlawful detainer actions, with fees for longer proceedings due at the end of each day's session (13.3).
Chapter 12 (Rules 12.1 to 12.6): time to file the affidavit of publication before the hearing (12.1); matters submitted without appearance - notice at least three (3) court days before the hearing, and papers and proposed orders filed or lodged at least five (5) court days before (12.2); a proposed form of order lodged with every verified petition (12.3); court investigators in probate - local form DN-100 required in probate guardianship cases, no peremptory challenges, withdrawal, interviews of children, the confidential report, grievances by noticed motion or objection, fees and costs paid to the Clerk's Office, and cross-examination (12.4); the statutory bond of a nonresident personal representative who requests independent powers (12.5); and the list of attorneys qualified for court appointment under Probate Code section 1456 and rule 7.1101 of the CRC - form GC-010, and reports before the end of March of each year (12.6).
Chapter 11 (Rules 11.1 to 11.8): the family law and motion calendar for non-Title IV-D actions; meeting and conferring in good faith before a family law matter is heard, documents exchanged and compliance represented to the Court; notice of matters going off calendar; proposed findings and statements of decision submitted in writing and by electronic mail in Microsoft Word format; and every blank on Judicial Council forms answered or marked n/a (11.1); financial issues - a current Income and Expense Declaration (form FL-150) or Financial Statement (Simplified) (form FL-155) executed within sixty (60) calendar days of the hearing (rule 5.118 of the CRC), documents exchanged five (5) court days before the hearing (wage verification for three (3) months and tax returns, and for the self-employed the 1099 forms, a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet), disclosure of public assistance, certified computer support calculations, and default child support through the Del Norte County Department of Child Support Services (11.2); the Children of Divided Families Workshop - required of all parties where custody or visitation of minor children is disputed, before mediation or other Family Court Services, the instructions served with the pleadings and proof of service filed, the fee, failure to attend, a separate session where there is domestic violence or child abuse, attendance out of county, the certificate of attendance, and the program in English only (11.3); Family Court Services mediation - non-recommending mediators, and challenges to a mediator made to the Court Executive Officer (11.4); court investigators and evaluators - appointment, no peremptory challenges, withdrawal, no ex parte contact, interviews of children, the report under Family Code section 3111, grievances by noticed motion or objection, fees and costs, cross-examination and the list of qualified evaluators (11.5); the Child Support Commissioner (Family Code section 4251) (11.6); the services of the Family Law Facilitator (11.7); and the court communication protocol for domestic violence and child custody orders - disclosure of existing orders, safe exchanges, orders that do not conflict with criminal protective orders, and their modification by the Criminal Court (11.8).
Chapter 10 (Rules 10.1 to 10.7): requests for contested hearings in juvenile dependency proceedings, made orally during the weekly juvenile dependency calendar (10.1); confirmation hearings and meeting and conferring, witness names and addresses exchanged not later than two (2) court days before the hearing and expert reports disclosed at least two (2) court days before (10.2); the written Waiver of Rights - Juvenile Dependency (form JV-190) at a parent's plea (10.3); attorneys in juvenile dependency proceedings - the competence standards of rule 5.660 of the CRC, at least eight (8) hours of training within three (3) years or twenty-four (24) hours of experience within the preceding year, the Certificate of Attorney Competency (local form DN-102) within ten (10) days of a first appearance, renewal on or before January 31 of every third year with eight (8) hours of continuing training, decertification on twenty (20) days' notice, out-of-county attorneys, and attorneys and CAPTA guardians ad litem for children (Welfare and Institutions Code sections 300 and 317(e)) (10.4); informing the Court of a dependent child's interests in another forum, by form JV-180 or declaration (10.5); complaints against attorneys by clients age twelve (12) years or older (10.6); and the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program under rule 5.655 of the CRC - the program's procedures, the advocates' functions, oath, duties, authority, access to records, reporting, communication, notice, visitation, family law appointments under Welfare and Institutions Code section 362.4, the right to appear, and reports served at least two (2) court days before the hearing (10.7).
Chapter 1 (Rules 1.1 to 1.7): the rules apply to all matters filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte, and repeal all rules previously adopted (1.1); construction - liberally construed, supplementing the statutes, the California Rules of Court (CRC) and Judicial Council policies (1.2); standing orders governing administration, required practice and procedure (Government Code § 68070 (a); Code of Civil Procedure §187) (1.3); sanctions under rule 2.30 of the CRC or sections 177.5 and 575.2 (1.4); abbreviations and definitions (1.5); the rules available at the Clerk's Office and on the Court's website (1.6); and amendment by a majority of the judges (1.7).