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The hearing transcripts page: the case types reported by a Certified Shorthand Reporter or electronically recorded by the court (juvenile, criminal felonies, mental health), whose transcripts may be produced on request, and those not reported or recorded (criminal misdemeanors, family law and family support, domestic violence, civil, probate, traffic, small claims, adoptions), for which a transcript is available only if a party provided a privately hired court reporter; requests routed to the reporter or the Digital Services Team, which gives a cost estimate; and recorded transcripts produced by a scopist and paid for directly.
The juvenile division's intercounty transfers information, posted under California Rules of Court, rule 5.610(f)(2): transfer-in hearings for juvenile justice cases may be scheduled on Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m., and for child welfare cases on Mondays or Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m., excluding court holidays, in Department 2 of the El Centro Historic Courthouse, 939 W Main Street; the Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office contacts; and the Southern California Intercounty Transfer Protocol, agreed by the courts, probation departments and child welfare agencies of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego, with its forms.
The court's remote appearances page: civil remote appearances registered online for civil, family, probate and juvenile hearings in the name of the person who will appear (a substitute approved by the remote appearance coordinator before 4 P.M. the day prior); the remote services team collects the $25 payment, provides the Microsoft Teams link and schedules a connectivity test; the late registration fee of $25 (Local Rule 2.21), refunds and the $5.00 refund fee; traffic and criminal remote appearance requests submitted no less than three court days before the hearing under the Executive Order RE: Implementation of AB 199 filed 7/7/2022, with an in-person appearance where no written reply is received; and the case types available for remote appearance and the fees under Government Code Section 70630 and California Rules of Court, rule 3.672.
The court's guidelines for calendaring requests by attorneys or parties in pro per for warrant arraignments, changes of plea or disposition and conflicts of counsel (other ex parte requests follow the ex parte rules): use of the calendaring request CR-17 is mandatory; for an out of custody defendant the request is filed with the criminal Clerks Office no later than noon (12:00 PM) on the court day before the date requested, and a later request is calendared for the next available day; for an in custody defendant the form notes where the defendant is housed and is filed by noon at least two (2) court days before the requested hearing; the requesting party gives the opposing party notice by the same times (the court notifies no one); and on a conflict of counsel request the clerk notifies the next available attorney.
The court's policy memorandum (approved by William D. Quan, Presiding Judge; issued May 22, 2005 and revised May 17, 2022) establishing criteria and a list for court appointed indigent defense counsel: the minimum criminal practice, trial and other experience for each type of case (misdemeanors, PC 1170(h) felonies, serious or violent felonies, homicide or life cases, death penalty cases per CRC 4.117(d) and (e), appellate counsel, juvenile delinquency and dependency, and conservatorship, Family Code 3150 and guardian ad litem appointments); appointment in three levels (the Public Defender, then overflow flat rate and hourly contract attorneys); the approved appointment list and its rotation; and the requirements for listed attorneys (applications and resumes submitted to the Office of County Counsel, stand-ins for special appearances under Penal Code Section 987.2, contact details, and availability within 48 hours of appointment).
An executive order of the Presiding Judge on remote appearances in criminal proceedings under Assembly Bill 199 (Penal Code sections 977, 977.3 and 1043.5 and Government Code section 71651.1, operative July 1, 2022): until the Judicial Council of California develops procedures and forms for remote appearances in misdemeanor and felony cases, requests for remote appearance are submitted online under “Remote Appearances” on the court's website no later than three (3) court days before the hearing, and parties who do not receive a written response must appear in person. Effective immediately; dated 7/6/2022 and signed by William Derek Quan, Presiding Judge.
The hourly rates established for court appointed indigent defense counsel, signed by the Court Executive Officer (dated July 26, 2022): misdemeanor $80.00; felony $95.00; serious felony (Penal Code 1192.7c; 1192.8a), state prison, death penalty and conservatorship $105.00; juvenile delinquency, juvenile dependency and minor's counsel (Family Code 3150) $95.00; civil $75.00; and appeal $80.00. Compensation for appointment of second counsel for capital cases is at the discretion of the court.
Chapter 1 (Preliminary Rules; Rules 1.0 to 1.3): the rules take effect on 07/01/26 (Rule 1.0); they are cited as the “Local Rules for the Superior Court of California, County of Imperial” (Rule 1.1); they supplement the California Rules of Court and state statutes and are liberally construed (Rule 1.2); and they are established, amended or repealed by a majority vote of the judges (Rule 1.3).
Chapter 2 (Administrative and General Matters; Rules 2.0 to 2.21): court administration by the judges (Rule 2.0); the selection of a Presiding Judge and Assistant Presiding Judge for two consecutive calendar years (Rule 2.1); the Court Executive Officer (Rule 2.2); the court's divisions (Rule 2.3); sessions in El Centro (at the Main Courthouse or the Wake Courthouse) or at Winterhaven (Rule 2.4); Departments 1 to 9 in the Main Courthouse and 10 to 13 in the Wake Courthouse (Rule 2.5); clerk's offices; intra-county venue and filing (Rule 2.7); conformed pleadings; security screening and weapons in court buildings (Rule 2.10); complaints against subordinate judicial officers; attendance and conduct at court proceedings, with sanctions under Code of Civil Procedure section 177.5 (Rule 2.12); compliance with the rules (Rule 2.13); limits on electronic and photographic equipment (Rule 2.15); administrative recordings (Rule 2.16); a judicial vacation day (Rule 2.17); mandatory electronic filing in civil, probate, family law, family support, small claims and adoption cases and permissive electronic submission in juvenile and criminal cases (Rule 2.18); electronic delivery of court documents (Rule 2.20); and remote appearances: registration on the court's website no less than 5 business days before the hearing, the $25 late registration fee, participant identification and the conditions of appearing remotely (Rule 2.21).
Chapter 3 (Civil Rules), in nine divisions: general provisions - case management conferences set one hundred eighty (180) days after filing (Rule 3.1.2), expert witness fees (Rule 3.1.4), jury fee deposits, trial briefs, jury instructions, juror questionnaires and motions in limine (Rules 3.1.7 to 3.1.10), taking a trial off calendar, judgments after court trial, privately hired court reporters (Rule 3.1.15), fee waivers and ex parte requests to continue a trial (Rule 3.1.20); law and motion - hearings Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. and tentative rulings (Rule 3.2.0), orders shortening time, taking motions off calendar, separate motions, joinders, evidentiary objections, particular motions, opposing and reply papers and orders after hearing; ex parte relief, with papers filed twenty-four (24) hours before the hearing (Rule 3.3.1); extraordinary writs; judicial arbitration of cases up to $50,000 (Rule 3.5.0) and the arbitrators' $150 fee (Rule 3.5.6); special case categories - judgment debtor examinations, unlawful detainer, uninsured motorist actions, compromises of minors' claims and class actions; miscellaneous provisions - the death of a plaintiff, receivers, confidentiality and sealed records, depositions, bankruptcy, the default attorney fee schedule (Rule 3.8.7) and civil remote appearances at $25 per appearance (Rule 3.8.8); and small claims (Rules 3.9.0 to 3.9.4).
Chapter 4 (Criminal Rules), in three divisions: misdemeanor and felony - filing locations at the El Centro Wake or El Centro Main courthouses and calendaring (Rule 4.1.0), peremptory challenges within ten (10) days of the notice of assignment (Rule 4.1.1), the time for filing complaints - in-custody complaints by 11:00 a.m. on the arraignment date, out-of-custody complaints five (5) court days before it (Rule 4.1.2), evidence at pretrial motions, motions to suppress (Rule 4.1.6), discovery motions and trial department motions, continuances, bail and the countywide bail schedule (Rule 4.1.8), electronic recording of misdemeanor trials, misdemeanor and felony warrant procedures, own-recognizance release, no telephone appearances (Rule 4.1.11), civil assessments, restitution collection, interpreters on forty-eight (48) hours' notice, fine payments, payment extensions, state prison motion calendars (Rule 4.1.19) and informal arraignments on Local Form CR-02 (Rule 4.1.23); infractions - evidence, continuances and extensions by the clerk, correctable violations, trial by declaration and traffic school payment plans; and juvenile infractions (Rules 4.3.0 and 4.3.1).
Chapter 5 (Family Law), in two divisions: general provisions - applicability (5.1.0); temporary emergency (ex parte) orders and their local forms (Rule 5.1.1) and non-emergency orders without notice (Rule 5.1.1.01); hearings and meeting and conferring; mediation of custody and visitation (Rules 5.1.4 to 5.1.8: referral, participation, confidentiality, results and stipulated mediation), with sanctions of up to $300.00 for a missed mediation; referrals to counseling; court experts and investigators and their reports; case management, with the Case Management Questionnaire (Rule 5.1.16); settlement proposals thirty (30) days before the settlement conference; trial briefs fifteen (15) days before trial (Rule 5.1.20); income and expense declarations; child and spousal support; default or uncontested judgments; attorney's fees and costs; domestic violence and child custody orders (Rule 5.1.27); judgments after trial and findings and orders after hearing; the appointment of an elisor (Rule 5.1.30); and the family law facilitator (Rule 5.2.0).
Chapter 6 (Juvenile Proceedings), in four divisions: general provisions - attendance, the presence of minors, attorney competency and its certification (Rule 6.1.2), minimum standards of attorney education and training (Rule 6.1.3), standards of representation, informal discovery (Rule 6.1.5), ex parte applications on 24 hours' notice (Rule 6.1.6), petitions to modify court orders, authorizations for travel and medical care and emergency psychotropic medication applications (Rule 6.1.8), complaints against appointed attorneys (Rule 6.1.9) and interpreter requests; the Court Appointed Special Advocate program (Rules 6.2.0 to 6.2.12); dependency - visitation, informing the court of a dependent child's interests (Rule 6.3.1), production of DSS reports (Rule 6.3.2) and financial responsibility for attorney fees, with the juvenile dependency fee table (Rule 6.3.3); and delinquency - financial responsibility for attorney fees, with the juvenile delinquency fee tables at an hourly rate of 65.00 (Rule 6.4.0).
Chapter 7 (Probate Rules; Rules 7.0 to 7.13): filing in the Probate Department on the first floor of the El Centro Courthouse (Rule 7.0); captions of petitions; required appearances and pre-approval by the Probate Examiner (Rule 7.2); the Probate Examiner; hearings each Friday at 8:30 a.m., with LPS conservatorship matters on Mondays, set by counsel (Rule 7.4); family allowance orders; independent administration; fees stated when an account is waived; non-statutory fees and commissions; reimbursable and non-reimbursable costs (Rule 7.9); fees for conservators and attorneys; the educational program for non-professional conservators (Rule 7.11); the form and lodging of exhibits (Rule 7.12); and probate examiner's notes posted on the court's website (Rule 7.13).
Chapter 8 (Appellate Division and Appeals), in four divisions: general - sessions of the appellate division on the second Friday of each month (Rule 8.1.0), briefs, agreed statements, applications and motions of no more than five (5) pages, oral argument, abandonment, writ petitions and their filing at 939 W. Main Street, El Centro (Rules 8.1.8 and 8.1.9), and transcripts of electronic recordings in civil appeals (Rule 8.1.10); criminal - the cost of transcripts, bail and stays of execution (Rules 8.2.0 and 8.2.1); civil - stay orders and writs of supersedeas (Rule 8.3.0); and small claims appeals (Rule 8.4.0).
The case management rules govern all applicable civil cases; a court may by local rule exempt specified types or categories of general civil cases if it has alternative case-processing and trial-setting procedures, which must be included in its local rules; wherever a court sets an initial case management conference, the rules apply.
Time periods under the California Rules of Court are computed by excluding the first day and including the last; if the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or other legal holiday it is excluded and the period runs to the next day that is not a holiday. Unless otherwise provided by law, the court may extend or shorten the time within which a party must perform any act under the rules.
Each ground of demurrer must be stated in a separate paragraph; a demurrer must be served and filed with a notice of hearing set under Code of Civil Procedure section 1005, for a hearing not more than 35 days after filing or on the first date available thereafter; following a ruling, leave to answer or amend within 10 days is deemed granted (5 calendar days in unlawful detainer and forcible entry or detainer cases), and the defendant has 10 days to answer or otherwise plead after the demurrer is overruled, the time to amend expires, or the demurrer is sustained without leave to amend.
When a court receives an electronically submitted document it must promptly send the filer confirmation of receipt with the date and time, and a document is received when that confirmation is created; if the document complies with filing requirements and the fees are paid, the court must promptly confirm filing with the date and time, any transaction number, the titles as filed and the fees assessed; absent the court's confirmation there is no presumption of receipt or filing, and the filer is responsible for verifying; a rejection notice must state its reasons; and when a technical problem with the court's electronic filing system prevents acceptance on a court day, a document the filer shows was attempted that day is deemed filed that day, except for a complaint or other initial pleading.
A document that may be served by mail, express mail, overnight delivery or fax may be served electronically under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6; a party consents by serving and filing a notice with its electronic service address or by affirmative consent through the court's electronic filing system or service provider (form EFS-005-CV); a court may require electronic service by local rule or order, and a party required to file electronically must also serve and accept service electronically except as to parties, including self-represented parties, who are not required to; parties must promptly notify the court and all parties of a change of electronic service address; service is complete as section 1010.6 provides (on transmission or notification when a provider is used); proof of electronic service is made under section 1013b, and proof of service of moving papers must be filed at least five court days before the hearing.
A party seeking an ex parte order must notify all parties no later than 10:00 a.m. the court day before the ex parte appearance, absent a showing of exceptional circumstances that justify shorter notice; in an unlawful detainer proceeding shorter notice is permitted if the notice given is reasonable.
Moving and supporting papers are served and filed under Code of Civil Procedure section 1005 and the electronic filing and service statutes and rules; the court may shorten time on a showing of good cause; proof of service of the moving papers must be filed no later than five court days before the hearing; no paper may be rejected for filing as untimely, though the court may refuse to consider it; a paper submitted before the clerk's office closes on its due date is timely, and a court may provide by local rule that an electronically filed paper received before midnight on a court day is filed that day.
The court must set an initial case management conference in each case, with notice to all parties no later than 45 days before it unless the court orders otherwise; counsel and self-represented parties must appear in person or remotely as rule 3.672 provides, be familiar with the case and be prepared to commit to positions on the issues in rules 3.724 and 3.727; the court may issue a case management order without appearances, and by local rule may excuse attendance at initial conferences in limited civil cases.
A 'local rule' is every rule, regulation, order, policy, form or standard of general application adopted by a court to govern practice or procedure in that court, or by a judge to govern practice or procedure in that judge's courtroom; each court must make its local rules available for inspection and copying at every location that accepts filings, publish them through an official publisher, and file them electronically with the Judicial Council 45 days before the January 1 or July 1 effective date with a certificate stating, among other things, whether the court posts its local rules on its website; proposed rules other than calendaring rules must be distributed for comment at least 45 days before adoption; courts must periodically repeal outdated or inconsistent rules; and a rule may take effect on another date only with the Judicial Council chair's authorization.
Unless a statute or rules 8.108, 8.702 or 8.712 provide otherwise, a notice of appeal must be filed by the earliest of 60 days after the superior court clerk serves a notice of entry of judgment or a filed-endorsed copy, 60 days after a party serves or is served with such a document with proof of service, or 180 days after entry of judgment; no court may extend the time except as rule 8.66 provides, and a late notice requires dismissal; the rule defines the entry date of judgments and appealable orders, treats a notice filed after rendition but before entry as filed on entry, and applies to appealable orders.
A court may permit, or require, parties to file documents electronically in civil actions by local rule under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6, specifying the case types covered; self-represented parties are exempt from mandatory electronic filing and service and, in mixed cases, file, serve and are served by non-electronic means unless they agree otherwise; a party required to e-file must be excused on a showing of undue hardship or significant prejudice through a process the court must provide; fees must be consistent with section 1010.6, and the effective date of filing is as section 1010.6 prescribes. A court that permits e-filing may also order all parties in a class, consolidated, coordinated or complex action to file electronically.
The complaint must be served on all named defendants, with proofs of service filed, within 60 days after filing (30 days for a defendant added by amendment), and a cross-complaint adding new parties must be served with proofs filed within 30 days; the parties may stipulate to one 15-day extension of the 30-day response period; a request for entry of default must be filed within 10 days after the time to respond has elapsed and a default judgment obtained within 45 days after default is entered, or the court may issue an order to show cause regarding sanctions. Collections cases under rule 3.740(a), unlawful detainer actions and Family Code proceedings are excluded.
A summary judgment or summary adjudication motion must contain a notice of motion, a separate statement of undisputed material facts in the rule's two-column format with citations to exhibit, title, page and line numbers, a memorandum, supporting evidence and any request for judicial notice; summary adjudication must state the specific cause of action, affirmative defense, damages claim or duty issue in the notice and repeat it verbatim in the separate statement; the opposition consists of a memorandum, a responsive separate statement stating 'disputed' or 'undisputed' for each fact with the evidence for any dispute and any additional material facts, opposing evidence and any request for judicial notice; evidence exceeding 25 pages must be separately bound with a table of contents; and on request a party must provide an electronic version of its separate statement within three days. The rule's format illustrations in subdivision (h) are on the official page.