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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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11 PLAINTIFF’S NAME, Case No.
12 Plaintiff(s) ,
CIVIL STANDING ORDER
13 v.
14 DEFENDANT’S NAME,
15 Defendant(s).
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20 PLEASE READ THIS ORDER CAREFULLY. IT GOVERNS THIS
21 CASE AND DIFFERS IN SOME RESPECTS FROM THE LOCAL RULES.
22 This action has been assigned to Judge Fred W. Slaughter. Both the court and
23 all counsel bear responsibility for the progress of litigation in this court. “Counsel,”
24 as used in this Order, includes parties appearing pro se.¹ To secure the just, speedy,
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26 −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
1 This Court does not exempt parties appearing pro se from compliance with the
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Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or the Local Rules. See Local Rules 1-3 and 83-
28 2.2.3.
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1 and inexpensive determination of every action, all counsel are ordered to
2 familiarize themselves and comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and
3 the Local Rules of the Central District of California. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 1.
4 UNLESS THE COURT ORDERS OTHERWISE, THE FOLLOWING
5 RULES APPLY.
6 I. Service of the Complaint
7 Plaintiff shall promptly serve the complaint in accordance with Federal Rule
8 of Civil Procedure 4 and shall comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(l)
9 and Local Rule 5-3 with respect to all proofs of service. Any defendant, including
10 any “Doe” or fictitiously named defendant, not served within 90 days after the
11 case is filed will be dismissed pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m).
12 II. Removed Actions
13 Any Answers filed in state court must be refiled in this court as a supplement
14 to the Notice of Removal. Any pending motions must be re-noticed in accordance
15 with Local Rule 7. If an action removed to this court contains a form pleading, e.g.,
16 a pleading in which boxes are checked, the party or parties that filed the form
17 pleading must file in this court within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Notice of
18 Removal a revised pleading that complies with Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 7,
19 7.1, 8, 9, 10 and 11. An amended complaint filed within 30 days after removal to
20 replace a form complaint pursuant to this instruction shall be deemed an amended
21 complaint with “the court’s leave” pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure
22 15(a)(2).
23 III. Presence of Lead Counsel
24 Lead trial counsel shall attend any proceeding before this court, including all
25 Scheduling, Pretrial, and Settlement Conferences. In an effort to provide more
26 experience to the next generation of practitioners, the court encourages lead counsel
27 to permit junior counsel to fully participate in court proceedings, including to argue
28 motions and to examine witnesses at trial.
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1 IV. Calendar Conflicts
2 Counsel shall notify both of the Judges’ courtroom deputies at least three (3)
3 days in advance. Counsel should defer to the most senior of the judges. A priority
4 before that Judge should be requested.
5 A “Notice of Unavailability” has no legal effect and should not be filed.
6 V. Scheduling Conference and Rule 26(f) Meeting of Counsel
7 Pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 16(b) and 26(f), the court will
8 issue an Order Setting a Scheduling Conference. Counsel shall meet no later than
9 twenty-one (21) days prior to the court-ordered Scheduling Conference pursuant
10 to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f) and applicable Local Rules. This meeting
11 may occur telephonically and need not occur in person. A written exchange of
12 correspondence will not satisfy this requirement.
13 VI. Joint Rule 26(f) Report
14 Unless otherwise ordered, no later than fourteen (14) days before the
15 Scheduling Conference, counsel shall file a Joint Rule 26(f) Report. A Joint Rule
16 26(f) Report which is not timely filed or does not conform with this Order,
17 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f), and/or applicable Local Rules will interfere
18 with preparation by the court and its staff and may result in the assessment of
19 sanctions, including dismissal. The Joint Rule 26(f) Report shall address the
20 matters set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f), as well as those
21 enumerated in the court’s Order Setting Scheduling Conference.
22 VII. Discovery
23 All discovery matters have been referred to a Magistrate Judge, who will hear
24 all discovery disputes. The Magistrate Judge’s initials follow the District Judge’s
25 initials next to the case number. All discovery documents must include the words
26 “DISCOVERY MATTER” in the caption to ensure proper routing. Please do not
27 deliver courtesy copies of discovery documents to Judge Slaughter’s chambers.
28 Counsel must follow the Magistrate Judge’s procedures for scheduling matters
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1 for hearing. These procedures are stated on each Magistrate Judge’s webpage.
2 In accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A), the Magistrate Judge’s decision
3 shall be final, and this court will not reverse any order of the Magistrate Judge
4 unless it has been shown that the Magistrate Judge’s order is clearly erroneous and
5 contrary to law. Any party may file and serve a motion for review and
6 reconsideration before this court. See Local Rule 72-2. The moving party must
7 file and serve the motion within fourteen (14) days of service of a written ruling
8 or an oral ruling that the Magistrate Judge states will not be followed by a written
9 ruling. The motion must specify which portions of the ruling are clearly erroneous
10 and contrary to law, and the claim must be supported by points and authorities.
11 Counsel shall provide the Magistrate Judge’s chambers copies of the moving
12 papers and responses.
13 VIII. Motions − General Requirements
14 a. Pre-Filing Meet and Confer Requirement
15 Counsel should take note of Local Rule 7-3, which requires “counsel
16 contemplating the filing of any motion” to “first contact opposing counsel to
17 discuss thoroughly, preferably in person, the substance of the contemplated motion
18 and any potential resolution.” Counsel shall discuss the issues sufficiently such
19 that if a motion is still necessary, the briefing may be directed to those substantive
20 issues requiring resolution by the court. Counsel shall resolve minor procedural
21 or other non-substantive matters during the conference. The notice of motion or
22 other request must include a statement of compliance with Local Rule 7-3. The
23 court may strike, outright deny a motion or order other relief, including sanctions,
24 if counsel fails to meet and confer in good faith. This requirement applies even to
25 self-represented parties; there is no exception to this rule for parties who appear
26 pro se. Nor are there any exceptions to this rule for futility or redundancy.
27 b. Time for Filing and Hearing Motions
28 Motions shall be filed in accordance with Local Rule 7. This court hears
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1 motions on Thursdays, beginning at 10:00 a.m. If Thursday is a court holiday,
2 motions will be heard on the next Thursday. Counsel shall not contact the
3 Courtroom Deputy to clear or reserve a civil motion hearing date. A list of closed
4 dates is located on Judge Slaughter’s webpage.
5 c. Length and Format of Motion Papers
6 Pursuant to Local Rule 11-6, absent leave of court Memoranda of Points and
7 Authorities in support of or in opposition to motions shall not exceed 7,000 words,
8 including headings, footnotes, and quotations but excluding the caption, the table of
9 contents, the table of authorities, the signature block, the certification required by
10 L.R. 11-6.2, and any indices and exhibits. Only for good cause shown will the
11 court grant an application to extend these page limitations. Pursuant to Local Rule
12 11-8, all Memoranda of Points and Authorities exceeding ten (10) pages must be
13 accompanied by a Table of Authorities and a Table of Contents. All briefing must
14 use Times New Roman font. Text must be no less than fourteen (14) point font;
15 footnotes shall be in the same font and the same size as the body of the
16 memorandum.
17 Counsel shall adhere to Local Rule 5-4.3 with respect to the conversion of all
18 documents to .pdf format so that when a document is electronically filed, it is in
19 proper size and is .pdf searchable. Further, all documents shall be filed in a format
20 so that text can be selected, copied, and pasted directly from the document. See
21 Local Rule 5-4.3.1.
22 All documents−including pleadings, motions, and exhibits−submitted to the
23 court must be text-searchable (i.e., “OCR’d”).
24 d. Documents with Declarations, Exhibits, and Other Attachments
25 If a filed or lodged document has declarations, exhibits, or other attachments,
26 each attachment must be filed as a separately-docketed attachment to the main
27 docket entry with a description of the attachment (e.g., Dkt. 20-1 Declaration of
28 Joe Smith; Dkt. 20-2 Ex. 1 - License Agreement; Dkt. 29-3 Evidentiary
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1 Objections). The court may strike or decline to consider motions, stipulations, or
2 other documents with attachments that are not filed in accordance with this Order.
3 e. Citations to Case Law
4 Citations to case law must identify the case cited and the specific page
5 referenced. For example, if a quotation is presented, the associated page citation
6 shall be provided. Similarly, if a case is cited in support of a proposition based on
7 language in the opinion, the page on which such language appears shall be
8 provided. Bluebook style is required.
9 f. Citations to Other Sources
10 Statutory references must identify with specificity the sections and subsections
11 referenced. Citations to treatises, manuals, and other materials should include the
12 volume, section, and pages being referenced. Citations to prior filings in the same
13 action shall include the docket entry number, section, and pages referenced.
14 Bluebook style is required.
15 g. Oral Argument
16 If the court deems a matter appropriate for decision without oral argument, the
17 court will take the matter under submission and notify the parties before the
18 hearing.
19 h. Artificial Intelligence
20 Any party who uses generative artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT,
21 Harvey, CoCounsel, or Google Bard) to generate any portion of a motion, brief,
22 pleading, or other filing must attach to the filing a separate declaration disclosing
23 the use of artificial intelligence and certifying that the filer has reviewed the
24 source material and verified that the artificially generated content is accurate
25 and complies with the filer’s Rule 11 obligations.
26 IX. Motions − Specific Requirements
27 a. Motions Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12
28 Many motions to dismiss or strike can be avoided if the parties confer in good
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1 faith as required by Local Rule 7-3, especially for perceived defects in a complaint,
2 answer, or counterclaim that can be corrected by amendment. C.f. Polich v.
3 Burlington Northern, Inc., 942 F.2d 1467, 1472 (9th Cir. 1991) (noting that where
4 a motion to dismiss is granted, a district court should grant leave to amend unless it
5 is clear the complaint cannot be saved by amendment). Moreover, a party has the
6 right to amend the complaint “once as a matter of course at any time before a
7 responsive pleading is served.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). Even after a complaint has
8 been amended or a responsive pleading has been served, the Federal Rules of Civil
9 Procedure provide that leave to amend should be “freely given when justice so
10 requires.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). The Ninth Circuit requires that this policy favoring
11 amendment be applied with “extreme liberality.” Morongo Band of Mission Indians
12 v. Rose, 893 F.2d 1074, 1079 (9th Cir. 1990).
13 Consequently, parties should carefully consider and weigh an opponent’s
14 contentions as to the deficiencies in a pleading. The court expects that, in most
15 instances, the parties will agree to any amendment that would cure the defect.
16 b. Motions to Amend
17 In addition to the requirements of Local Rule 15-1, all motions to amend
18 pleadings shall: (1) state the effect of the amendment; (2) be serially numbered to
19 differentiate the amendment from previous amendments (i.e., “First Amended
20 Complaint,” “Second Amended Complaint”); and (3) identify the pages, line
21 numbers, and wording of any proposed change or addition of material.
22 Counsel shall electronically file a “Notice of Lodging” attaching the proposed
23 amended pleading as a document separate from the motion, as well as a “redlined”
24 version of the proposed amended pleading identifying all additions and deletions
25 of material as an appendix to the moving papers. Before a motion to amend is filed,
26 the redlined version also must be delivered to opposing counsel at least two hours
27 in advance of the Local Rule 7-3 conference; and if the plaintiff later changes the
28 delivered version, counsel will be required to meet again about the revised pleading.
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1 c. Motions in Limine
2 Motions in limine shall be filed and noticed for a hearing in accordance with
3 the court’s Scheduling Order. In no case shall any motion in limine be noticed
4 hearing date later than the Final Pretrial Conference.
5 d. Motions for Class Certification
6 If this action is a putative class action, the parties are to act diligently and
7 begin discovery immediately, so that the motion for class certification can be filed
8 expeditiously. Parties are advised to refer to the court’s Order Setting Scheduling
9 Conference for additional guidance as to the filing and timing of motions for class
10 certification.
11 e. Motions for Default Judgment
12 Unless the court orders otherwise, motions for default judgment shall be filed
13 within 14 days after the later of (1) entry of default against the last remaining
14 defendant or (2) resolution of all claims against all defendants who have not
15 defaulted. The motion must include a showing of both subject-matter and personal
16 jurisdiction. See In re Tuli, 172 F.3d 707, 712 (9th Cir. 1999). A plaintiff who
17 moves for default judgment and wishes to seek attorney’s fees and and costs must
18 include in the motion a properly supported request for attorney’s fees and costs
19 together with the motion for default judgment. Failure to do so will result in the
20 striking of any subsequent motion for attorney’s fees and costs absent a showing
21 of good cause. The court may vacate the hearing on a motion for default
22 judgment if no opposition is timely filed, and the notice of motion should so state.
23 Unless the court orders otherwise, the movant must appear at the motion hearing
24 prepared to argue the motion and respond to any tentative opinion even in the
25 absence of an opposition.
26 f. Motions for Summary Judgment
27 No party may file more than one motion pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil
28 Procedure 56, regardless of whether such motion is denominated a motion for
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1 summary judgment or summary adjudication, without leave of court. If a party
2 believes this is one of the rare instances in which good cause exists for more than
3 one motion for summary judgment or to increase page limits, the party shall seek
4 leave by noticed motion setting forth a detailed showing of good cause. Pursuant
5 to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(f), when appropriate, based on undisputed
6 facts and controlling principles of law, the court may sua sponte enter summary
7 judgment in favor of the non-moving party.
8 Also, the court will not entertain cross-motions that seek to adjudicate the
9 same legal issues. If parties wish to cross-move for summary judgment, their
10 counsel shall meet and confer to determine which party will move and which will
11 oppose the one motion for summary judgment.
12 Parties need not wait until the motion cutoff date to bring motions for
13 summary judgment or partial summary judgment. The hearing on any such motion
14 shall be set for a date in advance of the last date to hear motions as stated in the
15 court’s Scheduling Order. This court requires an extended briefing schedule for
16 motions for summary judgment, as set forth below:
17 • Motions for Summary Judgment: Must be filed at least forty-two (42)
18 days before the noticed hearing date.
19 • Opposition: Must be filed twenty-eight (28) days before the noticed
20 hearing date.
21 • Reply: Must be filed twenty-one (21) days before the noticed hearing
22 date.
23 The above briefing schedule is the default. The parties may stipulate to a
24 modified schedule that is reasonable for all parties, subject to court approval. Any
25 briefing schedule must provide the court at least twenty-one (21) days between the
26 reply deadline and the hearing date.
27 The parties should prepare papers in a fashion that will assist the court in
28 processing and analyzing the volume of material (e.g., tables of contents, headings,
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1 indices, bookmarks in electronic documents, pinpoint citations, etc.). The parties
2 shall comply with Local Rules 56-1 and 56-2, in addition to the court’s additional
3 requirements described below.
4 i. Statements of Uncontroverted Facts and Genuine Disputes
5 The separate statement of uncontroverted facts, statement of genuine disputes
6 of material fact, and response to statement of genuine disputes of material fact shall
7 be prepared in accordance with Local Rules 56-1−56-3. The factual statements
8 should be set forth in sequentially numbered paragraphs. Each paragraph should
9 contain a narrowly focused statement of fact. Each numbered paragraph should
10 address a single subject as concisely as possible. Do not include legal argument in
11 this document. The opposing party may dispute all or only a portion of the
12 statement, but if disputing only a portion, the document must clearly indicate
13 what part is being disputed. The court will not wade through a document to
14 determine whether a fact really is in dispute.
15 The opposing party may submit additional material facts that bear on the
16 issues raised by the movant. The additional facts shall follow the format of the
17 moving party’s separate statement and shall continue in sequentially numbered
18 paragraphs.
19 ii. Supporting Evidence
20 No party shall submit evidence other than the specific items of evidence or
21 testimony necessary to support or controvert a proposed statement of undisputed
22 fact. For example, entire deposition transcripts, entire sets of interrogatory
23 responses, and documents that do not specifically support or controvert material
24 in the separate statement shall not be submitted in support of or in opposition to
25 a motion for summary judgment.
26 Evidence submitted in support of or in opposition to a motion for summary
27 judgment should be submitted either by way of stipulation or as exhibits to
28 declarations sufficient to authenticate the proffered evidence and should not be
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1 attached to the memorandum of points and authorities. Documentary evidence
2 for which there is no stipulation regarding foundation must be accompanied by
3 the testimony, either by declaration or properly authenticated deposition transcript,
4 of a witness who can establish authenticity.
5 iii. Objections to Evidence
6 If a party disputes a fact based in whole or in part on an evidentiary objection,
7 the ground for the objection should be stated succinctly in a separate statement of
8 evidentiary objections in a two column format. The left column should identify the
9 items objected to (including page and line number if applicable) and the right
10 column should set forth a concise objection (e.g., hearsay, lack of foundation, etc.)
11 with a citation to the Federal Rules of Evidence or, where applicable, a case
12 citation. A proposed order shall be filed and attached to the evidentiary objections
13 as a separate document in Word-processing format consistent with Local Rule
14 52-4.1 and emailed directly to the court’s chambers email address at
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[email protected].
16 g. Motions for Attorneys’ Fees
17 Motions for attorneys’ fees shall be electronically filed and set for hearing
18 according to Local Rule 6-1 and this Order. Any motion or request for attorneys’
19 fees shall attach two summaries, in table form, of the hours worked by and billing
20 rate of each attorney with title (e.g., partner, counsel, associate, etc.).
21 The first table shall include a summary of the hours worked by each attorney,
22 organized by task (e.g., discovery, motion to dismiss, motion for summary
23 judgment). The second table shall include a summary of the hours worked by each
24 attorney, organized by attorney. Both tables shall list all the tasks on which the
25 attorney worked, the hours worked on each task, and the hourly rate of each
26 attorney. If the hourly rate charged by any individual attorney changed while the
27 action was ongoing, the party shall provide separate calculations for the total
28 number of hours the attorney spent in connection with each task at each hourly rate.
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1 All tables shall be attached to the motion and electronically filed. The courtesy
2 copies of the tables shall be prepared in Excel, have all restrictions removed so the
3 spreadsheets can be edited, and be emailed to the court’s chambers email address
4 at
[email protected].
5 h. Under Seal Filings
6 Local Rule 79-5 governs applications to file documents under seal. Local Rule
7 79-5.2.2 explains how to apply to file under seal and how to proceed if leave is
8 granted. Parties must comply with all provisions of Local Rule 79-5.
9 There is a strong presumption of public access in civil actions. Foltz v. State
10 Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003). For each document
11 or other type of information a party seeks to file under seal, the party must identify
12 and discuss the factual and/or legal justification that establishes “good cause” or
13 “compelling reasons” for the information to be protected. Kamakana v. City and
14 Cnty. of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178-80 (9th Cir. 2006).
15 Documents that are not confidential or privileged in their entirety should not
16 be filed under seal if the confidential portions can be redacted and filed separately
17 with a reasonable amount of effort. The parties should file a complete version of
18 the documents under seal and a redacted version for public viewing, omitting only
19 the portions that the Court has authorized to be filed under seal.
20 Sealing must be justified for each individual item−blanket claims of
21 confidentiality will result in the application to seal being denied. Counsel are
22 strongly encouraged to consider carefully whether sealing or redaction is absolutely
23 required for a given piece of evidence or argument. An application to seal that
24 includes meritless requests to seal or redact documents will be denied. The parties
25 also must meet and confer before filing an application to seal.
26 X. Proposed Orders
27 Each party filing or opposing a motion or seeking the determination of any
28 matter shall file, serve, and electronically lodge a proposed order setting forth the
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1 relief or action sought and a brief statement of the rationale for the decision with
2 appropriate citations. The court requires strict compliance with Local Rule 5-4.4.2,
3 which states that “a Microsoft Word copy of the proposed document, along with a
4 PDF copy of the electronically filed main document, shall be e-mailed to the
5 assigned judge’s generic chambers e-mail address,” which for this court is
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[email protected]. The court will not consider a motion,
7 stipulation, ex parte application, or other request for relief unless a compliant
8 proposed order is received by email. A filing may be stricken for failure to timely
9 comply.
10 XI. Chambers Courtesy Copies
11 Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Local Rules, Judge Slaughter
12 does not require parties to provide Mandatory Chambers Copies of documents filed
13 through the court’s CM/ECF System in civil cases unless otherwise ordered by the
14 court. No party shall deliver a Mandatory Chambers Copy to Judge Slaughter in a
15 civil case unless specifically ordered to do so. If the court does order chambers
16 copies, such copies shall be delivered to Judge Slaughter’s chambers copy box on
17 the 10th Floor of the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and United States Courthouse
18 in Santa Ana or sent via overnight mail. If sent by overnight mail, the sender shall
19 notify the delivery service that the signature of the recipient is not required.
20 Mandatory chambers copies of sealed documents shall be delivered to the
21 Clerk’s Office Intake window, to be placed in the court’s internal mail box. If the
22 mandatory chambers copy of a document is an inch or more thick, the filing party
23 should place the court’s copy in a three-ring binder (no blue backing is required).
24 XII. Ex Parte Applications
25 Ex parte applications are solely for extraordinary relief. To justify ex parte
26 relief, there must be a showing of irreparable prejudice and that the moving party is
27 without fault, or that the crisis occurred as a result of excusable neglect. See
28 Mission Power Engineering Co. v. Continental Casualty Co., 883 F. Supp. 488,
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1 492-93 (C. D. Cal. 1995).
2 The court directs counsel’s attention to Local Rule 7-19. The court considers
3 ex parte applications on the papers. Accordingly, counsel need not set ex parte
4 applications for a hearing date. The other parties’ opposition, or notice of non-
5 opposition to an ex parte application is due 24 hours after the other parties’ receipt
6 of the ex parte application, or within 24 hours after the ex parte application is filed,
7 whichever is earlier.
8 XIII. Injunctions and Restraining Orders
9 Parties seeking preliminary or emergency injunctive relief must comply with
10 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65 and Local Rule 65. Applications for a
11 Temporary Restraining Order (“TRO”) are also governed by Local Rule 7-19,
12 which applies to ex parte applications. Thus, oppositions to Applications for a
13 TRO must be filed within 24 hours following service of the Application or filing of
14 the Application, whichever is earlier. The court will not rule on any Application
15 for a TRO for at least 24 hours after the party subject to the requested order has
16 been served, unless notice is excused as per Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(b),
17 or unless the interests of justice so require.
18 XIV. Continuances
19 Continuances are granted only on a showing of good cause. See Fed. R. Civ.
20 P. 16(b)(4). Requests for continuances must be by stipulation, motion or ex parte
21 application and must be accompanied by a declaration setting forth the reasons for
22 the requested continuance. The declaration also should include whether there have
23 been any previous requests for continuances and whether these requests were
24 granted or denied by the court. See Local Rule 40-1 Stipulations extending dates
25 set by this court are not effective unless approved by the court.
26 The court’s determination of whether good cause has been shown focuses
27 upon evidence of diligence by the party or parties seeking a continuance and on
28 the potential for prejudice that might result from a denial of the continuance. See
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1 Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b)(4); Matrix Motor Co. v. Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha,
2 218 F.R.D. 667, 671 (C.D. Cal. 2003).
3 XV. Communications with Chambers
4 Counsel must not attempt to contact the court or chambers staff by email,
5 telephone, or by any other ex parte means. Counsel must not contact the Courtroom
6 Deputy regarding the status of any matter before the court or seek any legal advice.
7 Nor should counsel contact the Courtroom Deputy to inquire about court procedure
8 when the answer is readily available by consulting the Federal Rules of Civil
9 Procedure, the Local Rules, or the court’s standing orders. Calls or emails regarding
10 the status of submitted motions, stipulations, or proposed orders will not be
11 returned. Counsel may determine the status of any submitted motion, stipulation,
12 or proposed order by accessing the docket sheet through PACER, which can be
13 accessed via the Central District of California’s website. Counsel may, for
14 appropriate matters only, contact the Courtroom Deputy via the court’s
15 chambers email at
[email protected]. Any appropriate inquiry
16 directed to the Courtroom Deputy must be by email with a copy to counsel for all
17 parties. Counsel must include on all papers their email address, telephone number,
18 and fax number to facilitate communication with the Courtroom Deputy.
19 XVI. Guidance for Pro Se Litigants
20 Parties who represent themselves in civil litigation (i.e., appear pro se), should
21 be aware that the court holds these parties to the same standards of conduct to
22 which it holds attorneys. The following links may be helpful to those representing
23 themselves in civil matters:
24 • General information on how parties may represent themselves in civil
25 cases in the Central District of California can be found at
26 https://prose.cacd.uscourts.gov/.
27 • Local Civil Rules for the Central District of California can be found at
28 http://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/court-procedures/local-rules
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1 • Federal Rules of Civil Procedure can be found at
2 https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp.
3 Only individuals may represent themselves. A corporation or other entity
4 must be represented by counsel, and if counsel seeks to withdraw, counsel must
5 advise the entity of the dire consequences of failing to obtain substitute counsel
6 before seeking withdrawal−i.e., a plaintiff entity’s case will be dismissed or a
7 defendant entity will default. See C.D. Cal. L.R. 83-2.3.4.
8 XVII. Order Setting Scheduling Conference
9 Pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 16(b) and 26(f), the court will
10 issue an Order setting a Scheduling Conference. The parties must strictly comply
11 with Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 16 and 26, and Local Rule 26. Absent a
12 showing of good cause, the parties must propose a trial date that is within 18
13 months of the filing of the complaint.
14 XVIII. Settlement Conference and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
15 As stated in Local Rule 16-15, the parties in every case must participate in a
16 Settlement Conference or Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) procedure. The
17 court will not hold a final pretrial conference or convene any trial unless and until
18 all parties, including the principals of all corporate parties, have completed ADR.
19 This court participates in the Court-Directed ADR Program whereby the court
20 refers the parties to the magistrate judge, the Court Mediation Panel, or to private
21 mediation. See General Order 11-10, § 5.1. If a Notice to Parties of Court-Directed
22 ADR Program (form ADR-08) has been filed in this case, counsel must furnish and
23 discuss it with their clients in preparation for the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure
24 26(f) conference. In their Joint Rule 26(f) Report, counsel should indicate their
25 preferred ADR procedure. The court will refer the case to a procedure at the
26 initial scheduling conference. More information about the court’s ADR Program,
27 the Mediation Panel, and mediator profiles is available on the court’s website.
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1 XIX. Notice of This Order
2 Counsel for Plaintiff shall immediately serve this Order on all parties,
3 including any new parties to the action. If this case came to the court by noticed
4 removal, the Defendant shall serve this Order on all other parties.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
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9 Dated:
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HONORABLE FRED W. SLAUGHTER
11 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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