Judge John A. Kronstadt — United States District Court, Central District of California

All civil documents must be filed electronically via CM/ECF. Filing deadline is midnight Pacific Time. Electronic signatures using "/s/ [name]" are permitted. CDCA requires mandatory chambers copies — one copy of every e-filed document, delivered by noon the next business day, labeled "MANDATORY CHAMBERS COPY." L.R. 5-3 through 5-4.

Electronic Filing

Service

Electronic service (L.R. 5-3.2.1): CM/ECF filing = service on all registered users. NEF is proof of service. Non-electronic (L.R. 5-3.1): For parties not on CM/ECF, serve per FRCP 5.

Mandatory Chambers Copies (L.R. 5-4.5)

One copy of every e-filed document. Delivered by noon next business day. Must comply with L.R. 11-3 (blue-backed, proper font, tabbed exhibits). Labeled "MANDATORY CHAMBERS COPY" on face page. Include CM/ECF header and NEF as last page. Check judge for delivery location.

Practice tip: Some judges have stopped requiring chambers copies. Check standing order.

CDCA requires 14-point proportionally spaced font (or 10.5 characters/inch monospaced), double spacing including citations and quotations, and a 7,000-word limit for motions. Footnotes may be single-spaced. Every brief over 10 pages needs a table of contents and table of authorities. L.R. 11-3 et seq. and L.R. 11-6.

Document Formatting (L.R. 11-3)

Word/Page Limits (L.R. 11-6.1)

Certificate of compliance required (L.R. 11-6.2): Every brief (except handwritten/typewriter) must include a certificate on the last page stating the word count.

Table of contents and authorities required (L.R. 11-8): For any memorandum or brief exceeding 10 pages.

"Lead trial counsel shall attend any scheduling, pretrial, or settlement conference set by the Court unless engaged in trial." If lead counsel is in trial, counsel must file a request for alternate or co-counsel to appear with a proposed order. The Court must approve before the hearing.

"The Court does not permit special appearances; only counsel of record may appear at any proceeding."

This means a partner cannot send an associate who is not counsel of record to cover a hearing. If lead counsel is unavailable, file a motion and proposed order in advance.

Consequence: CDCA L.R. 7-14 provides that failure to appear at a hearing may be deemed consent to an adverse ruling.

Kronstadt uses PAGE limits, not the CDCA Local Rule WORD limits.

CDCA L.R. 11-6.1 sets a 7,000-word limit for memoranda. Kronstadt replaces this with:

• Memoranda: max 25 pages
• Oppositions: max 25 pages
• Replies: max 10 pages
• Motions in limine: max 10 pages (opposition also 10 pages)

All footnotes must be the same type size as body text (L.R. 11-3). This prevents using small footnotes to circumvent page limits.

No supplemental brief without prior leave of Court.

"Only in rare instances and for good cause shown will the Court grant an application to extend these page limitations." (Exh. A, p. 11.)

Kronstadt's briefing schedule differs significantly from the CDCA default. CDCA L.R. 7-9/7-10 sets opposition 21 days before hearing and reply 14 days before hearing. Kronstadt replaces this with a three-tier system based on the gap between filing date and hearing date:

Hearing <35 days from filing: CDCA default (opp 21 days before hearing, reply 14 days before hearing). Hearing 35-70 days from filing: opposition 14 days AFTER filing, reply 21 days AFTER filing. Hearing 70+ days from filing: opposition 21 days AFTER filing, reply 35 days AFTER filing.

For 35+ day settings, deadlines run FORWARD from filing, not backward from hearing. This is the opposite of the CDCA default.

For 70+ day motions, parties may stipulate to a briefing schedule without a court order, provided the reply is filed no later than 5 weeks before the hearing date. The stipulation must be filed within 7 calendar days of the motion filing and captioned "STIPULATED PER STANDING ORDER."

No supplemental brief without prior leave of Court. Surreply not addressed — CDCA L.R. 7-10 applies (not permitted without prior written court order).

Civil motions heard Mondays at 8:30 a.m. Counsel must check Closed Motion Dates before selecting a date.

Opposition due 21 days before hearing. Reply due 14 days before hearing. Sur-replies not permitted without prior written court order. Discovery motions follow a separate timeline with a mandatory joint stipulation. If a hearing is continued, deadlines automatically reset. L.R. 6-1, 7-9, 7-10, 37-1 through 37-4.

Regular Motions

New Trial Motions (L.R. 7-9)

Opposition: 10 days after service of the motion.

Discovery Motions (L.R. 37-1 through 37-4)

Continuances (L.R. 7-11)

If continued, opposition/reply deadlines reset to 21/14 days before new hearing date.

CDCA follows F.R.Civ.P. 6 for time computation.

CDCA uses a party-selects model — you pick a date from your assigned judge's motion calendar and designate it in your notice of motion. File notice 28 days before hearing (31 if served by mail). The Court may decline any motion that doesn't comply with L.R. 7-3 through 7-8, including the meet-and-confer requirement. L.R. 6-1 through 7-18.

Key point: The Court may decline to consider any motion that doesn't comply with L.R. 7-3 through 7-8 (L.R. 7-4).

Ex Parte Applications (L.R. 7-19)

Must include: name/address/phone/email of opposing counsel, reasons for ex parte relief, points and authorities. Must lodge proposed order. Must make reasonable efforts to orally advise opposing counsel (L.R. 7-19.1).

Motion for Reconsideration (L.R. 7-18)

Grounds: (a) new fact/law not known with reasonable diligence, (b) new facts/law after the order, (c) manifest failure to consider material facts. Deadline: 14 days after entry. Cannot repeat prior arguments.

L.R. 7-3 requires an in-person, telephone, or video conference at least 7 days before filing any motion. If unresolved, file a declaration under penalty of perjury stating the dates of conference and each party's position. Discovery motions have stricter requirements under L.R. 37-1 — including a mandatory joint stipulation signed by both counsel instead of separate briefs.

L.R. 7-3 — Conference of Counsel Prior to Filing of Motions

L.R. 37-1 — Discovery Meet and Confer (Stricter)

Prohibited channels:

• No telephone calls to chambers or law clerks (web page)
• No emails except proposed orders to jak_chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov (web page)
• No status inquiries by phone or email (web page)
• No letters, emails, or other communications with the Court unless opposing counsel is present (§ 14(c))

All matters must be raised by formal motion or application per L.R. 83-2.5.

Two narrow exceptions for telephone contact: (1) Non-opposition of ex parte application: inform Courtroom Deputy Clerk by telephone or email (§ 3) (2) Calendar conflicts: notify Courtroom Deputy Clerk at least 24 hours prior (web page)

Chambers email (jak_chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov) is for proposed orders only per L.R. 52-4.1. Pro se parties may also email documents for filing per § 14(b).

Default posture: in-person. "All proceedings are held in-person in Courtroom 10C. Remote appearances are not permitted absent good cause and prior Court approval." (Web page.)

Scheduling Conference (held in 10B): if lead counsel has an office outside Los Angeles County, Court may permit a conference call. Request at least 2 court days before by contacting the Courtroom Deputy Clerk. Court does not entertain telephonic appearance at the Scheduling Conference if set at same date/time as a motion unless exceptional circumstances.

Motion hearings: request in writing, e-filed at least 7 calendar days before hearing, with declaration of basis and proposed order. Cell phones and speaker phones not permitted for telephonic appearances.

CDCA follows the federal defaults for most discovery rules but requires sequential numbering across all sets of interrogatories, RFPs, and RFAs. Every response must quote the request in full before the answer or objection. Discovery motions require a joint stipulation, not separate briefs. L.R. 33-1, 34-1, 36-1, 37-1 through 37-4.

Discovery Motions (L.R. 37-1 through 37-4)

7,000-word limit does NOT apply to the joint stipulation (L.R. 37-2.1), but joint stips over 10 pages need a TOC. Each party may file a supplemental memo (max 5 pages) 14 days before hearing (L.R. 37-2.3). Discovery motions generally cannot be heard ex parte.

"All discovery matters, including all discovery motions, are referred to the assigned United States Magistrate Judge." (Exh. A, p. 8, § 8(a).)

The Magistrate Judge's initials follow the District Judge's initials next to the case number. Discovery-related documents must include "DISCOVERY MATTER" in the caption. Counsel must contact the Magistrate Judge's Courtroom Deputy Clerk to schedule matters. Mandatory chambers copies of discovery-related papers go to the Magistrate Judge, not to Judge Kronstadt.

Review standard: "clearly erroneous or contrary to law" per 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A). Motion for review within 14 days of service of a written ruling, or within 14 days of an oral ruling the Magistrate Judge states will not be followed by a written ruling.

Protective orders are considered discovery and shall be prepared and submitted to the assigned Magistrate Judge. (Exh. C, p. 45.)

Kronstadt imposes a sealing conferral requirement stricter than the general L.R. 7-3 conferral.

Counsel must meet and confer in person or by telephone at least 7 calendar days prior to filing a sealing application. Within 2 calendar days after the meet-and-confer, the non-proposing party must confirm whether it agrees or opposes.

The application (whether opposed or unopposed) must state the dates and method of the meet-and-confer.

Consequence: "If such information is not provided, the application will be denied without prejudice to an amended application being filed that complies with the foregoing terms."

E-filing procedure: (1) Application on public docket with proposed order per L.R. 5-4.4.1/5-4.4.2. (2) Unredacted version filed under seal, titled "Unredacted" or "Sealed" as first word, with confidential information marked via highlighting/brackets. (3) Court reviews. If granted: file unredacted/sealed docket entry + separate redacted docket entry. Closely related materials filed as single docket entry with multiple attachments. No courtesy copy necessary for any sealed filing on the electronic docket.

CDCA requires a separate Statement of Uncontroverted Facts (SUF) with pinpoint citations. The opposing party must file a Statement of Genuine Disputes in a mandatory two-column format. A Rule 56 motion may NOT be granted solely on failure to oppose. L.R. 56-1 through 56-4.

MSJ follows the standard schedule: notice 28 days, opposition 21 days, reply 14 days.

Practice tip: The two-column format is mandatory. See L.R. 56-2 and the example at Chapter I, pages 74-75.

Kronstadt's courtesy-copy rule is a significant departure from the CDCA default.

CDCA L.R. 5-4.5 requires mandatory chambers copies of every e-filed document. Kronstadt requires copies ONLY of materials not filed on the electronic docket (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs, USB drives, documents electronically filed in other cases or districts).

Delivery: courtesy copy box on the 4th Floor of the First Street Courthouse. By noon the day following filing (L.R. 5-4.5). Exception: TRO documents must be submitted the same day.

When courtesy copies of electronically filed documents are submitted (for non-electronic companion materials): print from CM/ECF with the CM/ECF-generated header (case number, document control number, date of filing, page number). Stapling should not obscure the header. Court prefers no two-hole punch, no blue-backs. Staple upper left corner.

Sealed documents on the electronic docket: no courtesy copy necessary.

Consequence: "Failure to deliver timely mandatory chambers' copies may result in a delay of hearing a motion or order taking the matter off calendar."

As of April 2026, Judge Kronstadt has no AI filing requirement. The Standing Order does not address AI usage, AI certificates, or filing-authenticity requirements beyond standard FRCP 11 obligations. No applicable CDCA General Order on AI identified.

Check before filing — this is a fast-moving area and individual judges may adopt requirements at any time.

CDCA pro hac vice admission costs $450 per case (General Order 25-05). Cannot appear PHV if you reside in California, are regularly employed in California, or regularly engaged in business in California. Local counsel must be a CDCA bar member with an office physically in the District. L.R. 83-2.1.3.

Attorney Admission Fees (GO 25-05)

Two startup service obligations:

(1) Complaint service: "The plaintiff shall promptly serve the complaint in accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 4 and file the proofs of service using the Court's Civil Form CV-001 pursuant to Local Rule 5-3." Although FRCP 4(m) allows 90 days, the Court expects service as soon as reasonably possible and will require good cause to extend beyond 90 days.

(2) Standing Order service: "Plaintiff's counsel or plaintiff shall immediately serve this Order on all parties, including any new parties to the action. If this case came to the Court by a Petition for Removal, the removing defendant(s) shall serve this Order on all other parties." This is a separate obligation from serving the complaint.

E-service carveout for non-ECF recipients: any e-filed document must be served by mail the same day on any party not consented to electronic service, with proof of service filed within 24 hours.

Consequence: all unserved parties shall be dismissed no later than the Final Pretrial Conference. (Exh. D, p. 56.)

All documents filed in state court (complaint, documents appended to complaint, answers, motions) must be re-filed as a supplement to the notice of removal.

If a state-court form pleading was used, the party must file an appropriate federal pleading within 30 days of receipt of the Notice of Removal. The pleading must comply with FRCP 7, 7.1, 8, 9, 10, and 11.

If a motion or demurrer was pending in state court, it must be re-noticed per L.R. 6-1 and L.R. 7.

Counsel shall file a Notice of Interested Parties per L.R. 7.1-1 with their first appearance.

Fictitiously named defendants (diversity cases): (a) plaintiff must ascertain identity and serve within 90 days; (b) if more time needed, file ex parte application with specific reasons; (c) to substitute, seek consent of all defendants first; if refused, file motion addressing whether to remand for lack of diversity.