Lassen County Superior Court Local Rules of Court (effective July 1, 2026) — Rule 1: Law and Motion Department Rules

Summary

Rule 1 (subdivisions A to AA): each department to publish annually by October 1 the succeeding year’s law and motion hearing dates on the court’s website, www.Lassen.Courts.CA.gov (1(A)); the matters set in each department - Department 1 (misdemeanor criminal law and motion matters, felony criminal matters, petitions to declare a minor a ward, juvenile dependency), Department 2 (traffic and misdemeanor criminal arraignments, in custody arraignments heard on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:00 PM and Fridays at 1:00PM, small claims, unlawful detainer, civil, probate and family law actions, restraining orders, adoptions, and ex parte applications with LSC-FL-120), Department 3 (any proceeding assigned to a visiting judge by the Temporary Assigned Judges Program), Department 5 (a crime committed by an inmate in the custody of the Department of Corrections, writs of habeas corpus), Department 6 (civil case management conferences and settlement conferences) and Department 7 (actions brought by the Department of Child Support Services) (1(B)); customary professional courtesy and decorum, the attire and items not allowed while court is in session, and appropriate business attire for all counsel (1(C)); a law and motion matter that will require more than ten minutes, or a preliminary hearing that will require more than 30 minutes, heard as a setting for a long-cause hearing (1(D), 1(E)); a “Notice of Unavailability of Counsel” not binding on the court (1(F)); evidence at a law and motion hearing by affidavit or declaration under penalty of perjury, the time for filing a motion, response, and reply observed (CCP §1005(b): 16, 9 and 5 court days), the clerk to mark any late-filed document with a stamp (1(G)); an exhibit divider with a cover sheet for each exhibit attached to a document (1(H)); an official court reporter normally available in the Felony and Juvenile departments only, electronic recording in limited civil actions and criminal misdemeanor and infraction proceedings, and a party’s right to arrange a court reporter at the party’s own expense (Local Rule of Court No. 16) (1(I)); a support calculation prepared on software approved by Judicial Council with any motion, response, or reply pertaining to support issues (1(J)); inability to pay support a defense to a contempt charge on child support issues, the court not to appoint counsel where both parties are unrepresented (1(K)); the family-centered case resolution process (Family Code sections 2450, 2451, rule 5.83) - a status conference within 180 days after the filing of the petition, the Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure served no later than ninety (90) days after service of the petition, and a Status Conference Statement (LSC-FL-100) filed at least five (5) calendar days before each status conference (1(L)); in family law trial settings the party who filed the At-Issue Memorandum to serve and file the declarations and the Settlement Conference Statement (LSC-FL-101) at least thirty (30) days, and the other party at least fifteen (15) days, before the first trial setting conference, and the parties’ consent on form LSC-FL-200 for a Commissioner to act as temporary judge (1(M)); a Final Judgment and a Notice of Entry of Judgment submitted with all Marital Settlement Agreements, Marital Termination Agreements and requests for default judgments (1(N)); criminal moving papers with a Memorandum of Points and Authorities served and filed at least ten (10) court days before the hearing, opposition five (5) and reply two (2) court days before (1(O)); the memorandum’s statement of the case or facts, its absence deemed an abandonment of the motion (1(P)); a Penal Code section 1538.5 motion at the preliminary examination filed and personally served at least five (5) court days before, with a complete itemized list of the items to be suppressed or returned (a request to suppress “all evidence seized” not sufficient) (1(Q)); a criminal discovery motion accepted only with a declaration by counsel of the informal efforts under section 1054 et seq. of the Penal Code (1(R)); appointed counsel in Department 5 (Prison) cases to meet with their clients no less than two (2) days before any hearing after the initial arraignment (1(S)); ex parte applications with notice by 10:00 a.m. on the day prior and LSC-FL-120 (1(T)); criminal Trial Readiness Conferences set no later than 14 days prior to the Jury Trial date, trial counsel and the defendant personally present (1(U)); petitions and responses for Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVRO) or Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO) submitted in-person, by mail, by fax (Rule 17) or electronically (1(V)); the Court delegates to the Clerk the authority to grant applications for an initial fee waiver (Government Code § 68634(d)) (1(W)); release on a Notice to Appear on a misdemeanor warrant for $5,000 and under within Lassen County and for $15,000 and under outside it (1(X)); a misdemeanor referral for a pre-sentence investigation and report only for a sex offense, domestic violence or child abuse (1(Y)); a plea in absentia through counsel on the mandatory form Plea in Absentia (LSC-CRIM-025) (1(Z)); and a request for a determination of ability to pay made online through MyCitations.Courts.CA.gov (CRC 4.335) or on form TR-320, a reduction for a defendant receiving public benefits or with a current net monthly income less than or equal to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (1(AA)).