judge console · C.D. Cal.
C.D. Cal. · Judge Olguin · Practice Guide

Hon. Fernando M. Olguin

All local rules for C.D. Cal., integrated with this judge's published requirements.

Before You File
Ex parte applications
🏛 C.D. Cal. local rule

Good-faith oral notice to all parties required L.R. 7-19.1 ↗

👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

§V. Following service of the ex parte papers, the moving party shall notify the opposing party that its opposition papers must be filed no later than twenty-four (24) hours (or one court day) following service, except in cases where the opposing party has not previously appeared. Where the opposing party has not previously appeared, the moving party shall, following service of the ex parte papers, notify the opposing party that its opposition papers must be filed no later than forty-eight (48) hours following service. Unless otherwise ordered, reply briefs are not allowed and will be stricken.

Lead counsel requirements
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

Silent on lead counsel requirement.

Contacting chambers
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

JPS §7-8: Communications with Chambers Staff: Counsel should not contact the court's law clerks unless responding to an inquiry initiated by chambers. Status Inquiries: Please do not call or email the CRD to ask about the status of a pending request/motion/application/hearing. The CRD will not return such inquiries regarding the status of submitted matters. Counsel may determine the status of any case by accessing the docket sheet through PACER.

Drafting the Motion
Length limits — motion, opposition, reply
🏛 C.D. Cal. local rule
Motion

25 pages maximum for memorandum in support of or opposition to any motion C.D. Cal. L.R. 11-6 ↗

Opposition

7,000 words maximum L.R. 11-6.1 ↗

Reply

12 pages maximum for reply memorandum C.D. Cal. L.R. 11-6 ↗

👤 Judge Olguin — standing order
Motion

§IV.A.3. Length and Format of Motion Papers. Local Rule 11-6.1 limits all memoranda of points and authorities to '7,000 words, including headings, footnotes, and quotations but excluding the caption, the table of contents, the table of authorities, the signature block, the certification required by L.R. 11-6.2, and any indices and exhibits.' An application for leave to exceed the word limitation will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances; the requesting party must provide specific facts supporting their request. Any supplemental briefs filed without prior leave of court will be stricken.

Opposition

§IV.A.3. Local Rule 11-6.1 limits all memoranda of points and authorities to '7,000 words, including headings, footnotes, and quotations but excluding the caption, the table of contents, the table of authorities, the signature block, the certification required by L.R. 11-6.2, and any indices and exhibits.'

Reply

Silent on page limits replies.

Font & formatting
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

Silent on font formatting.

Footnote policy
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

Silent on footnote policy.

Filing & Scheduling
Briefing schedule & hearing date
🏛 C.D. Cal. local rule
Notice period

28 days before hearing date L.R. 6-1 ↗

Hearing days

Filer designates; no district-wide hearing day L.R. 6-1 ↗

👤 Judge Olguin — standing order
Notice period

§IV.A.1. It is not necessary to clear a hearing date with the court's courtroom deputy clerk ('CRD') before filing a motion. If the motion date selected is not available, counsel should notice the motion for the next available date. Unless otherwise ordered, any motion that is noticed more than 35 days beyond the date the motion is filed may be stricken or advanced to an earlier motion date.

Hearing days

§IV.A.1. Time for Filing and Hearing Motions. Motions shall be filed in accordance with Local Rule 7. The court hears motions on Thursdays, beginning at 10:00 a.m. unless otherwise ordered by the court. If a Thursday is a national holiday, motions will be heard on the next Thursday.

Chambers / courtesy copies
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order
Required?

Yes

Details

§VI. Mandatory Chambers Copies. A copy of all papers filed with the court shall be delivered to the Clerk's Office on the 4th Floor of the First Street Courthouse, no later than 12:00 noon the following business day. All chambers copies shall comply fully with the document formatting requirements of Local Rule 11-3 and the 'backing' requirements of Local Rule 11-4.1.1. Counsel may be subject to sanctions for failure to deliver a mandatory chambers copy in full compliance with this Order and Local Rules 11-3 and 11-4.1.1.

Proposed orders
🏛 C.D. Cal. local rule

E-file PDF; email Word copy to chambers L.R. 52-4.1 ↗

👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

§IV.A.7. Proposed Orders. Each party filing or opposing a motion or seeking the determination of any matter shall serve and lodge – at the time the moving or opposition papers are filed – a proposed order setting forth the relief or action sought and a brief statement of the rationale for the decision with appropriate citations. In addition, a copy of the proposed order in WordPerfect or Word format shall be e-mailed to chambers at fmo_chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov on the day the document is e-filed.

ECF stamp requirements
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

JPS §Mandatory Chambers Copies: Each document must be labeled prominently, 'Mandatory Chambers Copy,' on the front page and the notice of electronic filing shall be attached to the back of the document. Do not bind or staple separate filings together as one document.

Filing under seal
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

JPS §2: Filing Documents Under Seal: In civil cases, counsel shall comply with Local Rule 79-5.2. Also, counsel should review the 'Guide to E-filing Sealed Documents 11.25.15,' found on the court's website. A document presented for filing at the Civil Intake or Criminal Intake Windows will be rejected, and the party submitting the document will be directed to follow 79-5.2.

The Hearing
Oral argument
🏛 C.D. Cal. local rule

Court may dispense with oral argument on any motion and decide it on the papers; counsel notified by court order C.D. Cal. L.R. 7-15 ↗

👤 Judge Olguin — standing order
Default practice

§IV.A.8. Oral Argument. If the court deems a matter appropriate for decision without oral argument, the court will notify the parties in advance. See Local Rule 7-15. The court strongly encourages parties to permit less experienced lawyers to actively participate in the proceedings by presenting argument at motion hearings or examining witnesses at trial. Counsel shall provide the CRD with the names of the less experienced attorneys that will be arguing motions or examining witnesses at least ten (10) calendar days before the court proceeding.

Tentative rulings
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order
Practice

Silent on tentative rulings. Not applicable: federal court does not issue tentative rulings.

Prohibition

Silent on tentative ruling prohibition. Not applicable: federal court does not issue tentative rulings.

Remote appearances
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

JPS §5: Telephonic Appearances: Telephonic appearances for hearings in court are not permitted. In some instances, the court will set telephonic hearings and will do so on its own motion via court order.

Continuances & calendar conflicts
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

§VII. Continuances or Extensions of Time. Counsel must submit any request for a continuance or extension of time no later than five (5) court days prior to the expiration of the scheduled date. Requests for continuances will not be granted routinely. A stipulation to continue the date of any matter must be supported by a detailed declaration that demonstrates good cause justifying the requested date change. The stipulation must also indicate whether there have been any previous requests for continuances and whether those requests were granted or denied by the court.

Discovery
Discovery referral procedure
🏛 C.D. Cal. local rule

Joint stipulation required L.R. 37-2 ↗

👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

§III.B. Unless otherwise ordered, all discovery matters have been referred to the assigned magistrate judge, who will hear all discovery disputes. The magistrate judge's initials follow the district judge's initials next to the case number.

Discovery dispute procedure
👤 Judge Olguin — standing order

§III.B. Discovery Matters Referred to Magistrate Judge. Unless otherwise ordered, all discovery matters have been referred to the assigned magistrate judge, who will hear all discovery disputes. All discovery-related documents must include the words 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in the caption to ensure proper routing. Counsel are directed to review the magistrate judge's Procedures and Schedules on the Central District's website to schedule discovery matters for hearing.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Olguin — deviations that burn people
  • Motion noticed more than 35 days beyond filing may be STRICKEN or advanced to an earlier date — do not park a hearing far out on the calendar
  • Motion hearings only on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m.; if Thursday is a national holiday, motion rolls to the next Thursday (not intervening business day)
  • Telephonic appearances for hearings are NOT permitted — the court sets them only on its own motion via court order
  • Ex parte opposition timing is bifurcated: 24 hours if the opposing party has appeared, 48 hours if they have NOT previously appeared — different deadlines for the same application
  • Ex parte replies are NOT allowed and will be STRICKEN unless the court orders otherwise
  • Continuance requests must be submitted no later than 5 court days BEFORE the scheduled date — later requests are presumptively untimely
  • Junior-lawyer opportunity: court strongly encourages less-experienced attorneys to argue motions or examine witnesses; provide the CRD with names at least 10 calendar days before the proceeding
  • Proposed orders must be emailed in WordPerfect or Word to fmo_chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov ON the same day the document is e-filed
  • Mandatory chambers copies must comply with L.R. 11-3 formatting AND the L.R. 11-4.1.1 'backing' requirement (unlike many CA-CD judges who waive blue-backing) — sanctions may issue for non-compliance
  • Chambers copies must be labeled 'Mandatory Chambers Copy' on the front page with the NEF attached to the back; do NOT bind or staple separate filings together
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment