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

Jesus G. Bernal

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 Bernal — standing order

SO §14 Ex Parte Applications: Counsel's attention is directed to L.R. 7-19. The moving party's declaration in support of an ex parte application shall show compliance with L.R. 7-19 and this Order and shall include a statement of opposing counsel's position. Failure to do so ensures the application will be DENIED. If counsel does not intend to oppose an ex parte application, counsel must inform the Courtroom Deputy Clerk, (951) 328-2254.

Lead counsel requirements
👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

SO §8 Presence of Lead Counsel: Lead trial counsel for each party must attend any scheduling and pretrial conferences set by the Court. Failure of lead trial counsel to appear for those proceedings is a basis for sanctions. Scheduling Order §2.a Participation: Lead trial counsel for all parties must be present. Counsel must be prepared to discuss the substantive issues in the case and authorized to address scheduling with the Court and opposing counsel.

Contacting chambers
👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

SO §16 Communications with Chambers: Unless requested to do so, counsel shall not attempt to contact the Court or its staff by telephone or by any other ex parte means. Counsel are directed to review the Central District's website at http://www.cacd.uscourts.gov for the Local Rules, filing procedures, judges' procedures and schedules, calendars, forms, and Pacer access. Counsel may contact the Courtroom Deputy Clerk, Maynor Galvez, by telephone at (951) 328-2254 or by email at maynor_galvez@cacd.uscourts.gov only in the event that counsel cannot find the desired information through all available resources.

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 Bernal — standing order
Motion

SO §10b Length and Format of Motions: Memoranda of Points and Authorities in support of or in opposition to motions shall not exceed 25 pages. Replies shall not exceed 12 pages. Only in rare instances, and for good cause shown, will the Court grant an application to extend these page limitations. When citing to legal databases, wherever possible cite to Westlaw rather than Lexis.

Opposition

SO §10b Length and Format of Motions: Memoranda of Points and Authorities in support of or in opposition to motions shall not exceed 25 pages. Replies shall not exceed 12 pages.

Reply

SO §10b: Replies shall not exceed 12 pages. Only in rare instances, and for good cause shown, will the Court grant an application to extend these page limitations.

Font & formatting
👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

Silent on font formatting.

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 Bernal — standing order
Notice period

SO §10a Time for Hearing Motions: Motions shall be filed and set for hearing in accordance with L.R. 6-1. Motions will be heard on Mondays commencing at 9:00 a.m. Any motion noticed for a holiday shall automatically be set to the next Monday without further notice to the parties. (JPS) It is not necessary to clear a motion date with the court clerk prior to filing the motion.

Hearing days

SO §10a Time for Hearing Motions: Motions shall be filed and set for hearing in accordance with L.R. 6-1. Motions will be heard on Mondays commencing at 9:00 a.m. Any motion noticed for a holiday shall automatically be set to the next Monday without further notice to the parties. (JPS) Civil matters are heard on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. Criminal matters are heard on Mondays at 2:00 p.m. (If Monday is a holiday, the next motion date is the following Monday.)

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

Yes

Details

SO §5 Mandatory Chambers Copies: Counsel shall provide one conformed chambers copy of ONLY the following filed documents. Civil matters: Motions and related documents (opposition, replies, exhibits); ex parte applications and related documents (oppositions and exhibits); and Joint Rule 26(f) reports. Chambers copies shall be delivered to the "Courtesy Box," located outside of Courtroom 1 on the 2nd floor at the United States District Court, 3470 Twelfth Street, Riverside, California 92501, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day following the "e-filing." All chambers copies shall comply fully with the document formatting requirements of L.R. 11-3 and L.R. 11-5.

Proposed orders
🏛 C.D. Cal. local rule

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

👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

SO §7 Proposed Orders: Each party filing or opposing a motion or seeking the determination of any matter shall serve and electronically lodge a proposed order which sets forth the relief or action sought and a brief statement of the rationale for the decision with appropriate citations. (JPS) Proposed orders are required to be emailed in Word format to JGB_chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov.

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 ↗

Tentative rulings
👤 Judge Bernal — standing order
Practice

(JPS) Tentative rulings are not issued.

Remote appearances
👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

SO §17 Remote Appearances: Counsel may appear remotely for all motion hearings by following the instructions on the Court website for Zoom appearances. Counsel who intends to appear remotely must file a notice of intent to appear remotely at least two business days in advance of the hearing. Hearings on motions for preliminary injunctions are excluded from this rule; counsel must attend preliminary injunction hearings in person unless counsel seeks, for good cause, leave to appear remotely not less than one week in advance of the hearing.

Continuances & calendar conflicts
👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

SO §15 Stipulations: Stipulations extending scheduling dates set by this Court are not effective unless approved by the Court. Continuances will be granted only upon a showing of good cause. (JPS) Continuances and special requests must be approved by the Court, and will be granted only upon a showing of good cause. Counsel must make such requests in pleading form by submitting a stipulation and a proposed order to the clerk's office at least one week in advance. Refer to Local Rules 7-1 and 7-11 for proper format. If there is a calendar conflict, counsel are to notify the court clerk prior to the date of the conflict.

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

Joint stipulation required L.R. 37-2 ↗

👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

SO §9 Discovery: All discovery matters have been referred to a United States Magistrate Judge. The Magistrate Judge's initials follow the District Judge's initials in the case number assigned to the matter.

Discovery dispute procedure
👤 Judge Bernal — standing order

SO §9 Discovery: All discovery matters have been referred to a United States Magistrate Judge. The Magistrate Judge's initials follow the District Judge's initials in the case number assigned to the matter. The words "DISCOVERY MATTER" shall appear in the caption of all documents relating to discovery to insure proper routing. Counsel shall deliver mandatory chambers copies of discovery-related papers to the Magistrate Judge assigned to the case rather than to this Court.

Know Before You Go
👤 Judge Bernal — deviations that burn people
  • Civil motions heard Mondays at 9:00 a.m.; motion noticed for a holiday automatically resets to next Monday without further notice
  • Cite Westlaw over Lexis whenever possible when citing to legal databases (positive trap: judge-specific citation preference)
  • Proposed orders must be emailed in Word format to JGB_chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov (WordPerfect no longer accepted as of the 7/16/26 SO revision; PDF alone is not acceptable)
  • Chambers copies delivered to the Riverside Courtesy Box outside Courtroom 1 (2nd floor) by 5:00 p.m. the day after e-filing
  • All discovery filings must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in the caption; deliver chambers copies to the Magistrate Judge, not to Bernal
  • Lead trial counsel MUST personally appear at scheduling and pretrial conferences -- no special appearances; failure = sanctions
  • No tentative rulings issued -- do not rely on any advance signal of the court's leaning
  • Ex parte opposition procedure: if you do NOT intend to oppose, you must affirmatively inform the CRD by phone (951) 328-2254
  • Continuance stipulations NOT effective until court approves them; submit stipulation + proposed order at least one week in advance
  • Remote appearances allowed for all motion hearings by default (Zoom, per SO 17, revised 7/16/26) but require a notice of intent filed at least 2 business days in advance; preliminary-injunction hearings must be attended IN PERSON unless leave to appear remotely is sought at least 1 week in advance
content assembled from published local rules & standing orders · click any section in the rail for the full treatment
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