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Preface to the court's 2026 local rules: the San Diego County Bar Association's Attorney Civility and Practice Guidelines (rev. 1/1/2020), which the court expects every attorney appearing before it to follow — duties owed to the court, to clients, to opposing parties and counsel, and to the public.
California > Fourth Appellate District > San Diego County > Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
Superior Court of California, County of San Diego Local Rules, Effective 1/1/2026 PREFACE The San Diego County Bar Association has adopted Attorney Civility and Practice Guidelines. They are set forth below. The San Diego Superior Court expects all attorneys who appear before it to abide by these guidelines. (Rev. 1/1/2020) I. DUTIES OWED TO THE COURT A. We expect lawyers to be courteous and respectful to the court and all court and court-related personnel. B. We expect lawyers arguing for an extension of existing law to clearly state that fact and state why. C. We expect lawyers appearing in court to dress neatly and appropriately, and encourage their clients to do the same. D. We expect lawyers to be on time and adhere to time constraints. E. We expect lawyers to be prepared for all court appearances. F. We expect lawyers to attempt to resolve disputes promptly, fairly, and reasonably, with resort to the court for judicial relief only if necessary. G. We expect lawyers to discourage and refuse to accept a role in litigation that is meritless or designed primarily to harass or drain the financial resources of the opposing party. H. We expect lawyers to honor and maintain the integrity of our justice system, including by not impugning the integrity of its proceedings, or its members. (Rev. 1/1/2020) II. DUTIES OWED TO OTHER LAWYERS, PARTIES, AND WITNESSES A. We expect lawyers to address legal arguments with other lawyers professionally, and not personally. B. We expect lawyers to treat adverse witnesses, litigants, and opposing counsel with courtesy, fairness, and respect. C. We expect lawyers to conduct themselves in the discovery process as if a judicial officer were present. D. We expect lawyers to not arbitrarily or unreasonably withhold consent to a reasonable request for cooperation or accommodation. E. We expect lawyers to refrain from attributing to an opponent a position the opponent has not clearly taken. F. We expect lawyers to be accurate in written communications intended to make a record. G. We expect lawyers to refrain from proposing a stipulation in the presence of the court or trier of fact unless the other parties have previously agreed to it. H. We expect lawyers to refrain from interrupting an opponent's legal argument unless making an appropriate objection for a legitimate basis. I. We expect lawyers in court to address opposing lawyers through the court. J. We expect lawyers to seek sanctions sparingly, and not to obtain a tactical advantage or for any other improper purpose. K. We expect lawyers to refrain from seeking to disqualify opposing counsel for any improper purpose or for any reason not supported by fact or law. L. We expect lawyers to encourage other lawyers to conform to the standards in these guidelines. M. We expect lawyers to conduct themselves so that they may conclude each case amicably with the opposing lawyer or party. (Rev. 1/1/2020)
Superior Court of California, County of San Diego Local Rules, Effective 1/1/2026 PREFACE The San Diego County Bar Association has adopted Attorney Civility and Practice Guidelines. They are set forth below. The San Diego Superior Court expects all attorneys who appear before it to abide by these guidelines. (Rev. 1/1/2020) I. DUTIES OWED TO THE COURT A. We expect lawyers to be courteous and respe
Reviewer note: Composed 2026-09-28 (California T3 San Diego build) from BenchPath custody ca/t3/ca-san-diego/san_diego_county_superior_court_rules__2026.pdf (2399854 bytes, sha256 7d8abb388ad4715c6855638a9d25b644d3b5c3e61d0d5de4c229102fc3721191; page 19 of the compiled book) with the shared verbatim composer: running headers, footers and page numbers removed as chrome, lines reflowed into the court's paragraphs; proof 1 (composed text minus whitespace equals the kept lines minus whitespace) and proof 2 (same character multiset as the text layer minus chrome) both pass; 0 rules.
Division XI: information forms for data processing (Rule 11.2); required action - action taken on all calendared cases and a future date always set (Rule 11.19); and pro tem judges - an attorney named as a plaintiff in a civil or small claims case may not sit as a judge pro-tem during the case or within six months following its resolution, nor one named as a defendant in two or more such cases (Rule 11.22). Rules 11.1, 11.3 to 11.5, 11.7 to 11.18, 11.20 and 11.21 are repealed, and Rule 11.6 (voluntary arbitration; see Local Rule 10.2) was repealed and renumbered.
Duval County's indigent-defense and magistration rules under the Texas Fair Defense Act (S.B. 7): who may be booked into the county jail and on what paper; arrest-case numbering; presentment to a magistrate within 48 hours (art. 15.16); the magistrate's warnings, counsel inquiry, interpreter duty, indigence determination and appointment of counsel within 24 hours of a request; the alternative appointment plan under art. 26.04(g)-(h) with annual applications, seven attorney categories (capital, first and second degree, third degree/state jail/misdemeanor, competency, appeals, post-conviction, extradition), CLE and experience standards, random rotation within each category, written acceptance within 48 hours, first contact by the end of the next working day, replacement and suspension of counsel, fee applications within five days of completing services and the compensation attachment ($500 pleas; $175/$150 hourly; $1,400 per jury-trial day; appellate caps); bail schedules by offense class with a personal bond office (fee $20 or 3%), pre-trial supervision and revocation hearings within two working days; arraignment settings and notice; repeal of conflicting rules.