Procedures verified May 27, 2026
Judge Valerie B. Fairbank — United States District Court, Central District of California
Not specified.
description
Motions decided on papers — no hearings held
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Civil motions have NO hearing date — Court decides on papers; argument set only if Court determines it would be helpful
- 2. Ex parte deadlines differ by appearance status: appeared = 24 hours; non-appeared = 48 hours
- 3. Under seal: submit paper copies with Notice of Manual Filing — NOT via email to chambers
- 4. Do not deliver discovery chambers copies to Judge Fairbank — those go to Magistrate Judge only
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | No hearing date set — civil motions decided on papers. Court sets hearing only if it determines oral argument would be helpful after briefing. |
| Motion Limit | Not specified. |
| Reply Limit | Not specified. |
| Chambers Copies | ✗ Not required Do not provide chambers copies to Judge Fairbank in magistrate-referred cases. General chambers copy policy not separately specified. |
| Tentative Rulings | Not specified. |
| Remote Appearances | Not specified. |
| Discovery | Yes — all discovery matters referred to Magistrate Judge. Documents relating to discovery must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in caption. |
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Before You File
Motion Days & Times
No hearing date set — civil motions decided on papers. Court sets hearing only if it determines oral argument would be helpful after briefing.
Notice Period
Standard briefing under Local Rules.
Motion Page / Word Limit
Not specified.
Opposition Limit
Not specified.
Reply Limit
Not specified.
Font & Formatting
Not specified.
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✗ Not required
Do not provide chambers copies to Judge Fairbank in magistrate-referred cases. General chambers copy policy not separately specified.
ECF Stamp Requirements
Not specified.
Proposed Orders
Email in WordPerfect or Word format to VBF_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov.
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Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
Not specified.
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
Not specified.
Oral Argument
Court decides after full briefing whether oral argument would be helpful. No hearing date is set at time of filing.
Remote Appearances
Not specified.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Contact CRD by email at VBF_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov. No phone number listed in available source material. Do not contact for status inquiries.
Discovery Referral
Yes — all discovery matters referred to Magistrate Judge. Documents relating to discovery must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in caption.
Discovery Motion Process
Referred to assigned Magistrate Judge. Do not deliver chambers copies of discovery papers to Judge Fairbank — those go to the Magistrate Judge's chambers only.
Ex Parte Applications
For parties who have appeared: opposition due 24 hours after service. For parties who have not yet appeared: opposition due 48 hours after service.
Settlement Notification
Not specified.
Lead Counsel
Not specified.
Under Seal Filings
Submit paper copies with Notice of Manual Filing. Do not file under seal documents via email to chambers. Must comply with L.R. 79-5.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Not specified.
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AI & Style Preferences
Additional Notes
Source material limited to JPS procedures page only — no separate standing order in raw/ directory. Profile may be incomplete. CRD: VBF_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov. Papers-only civil motion practice is the most distinctive procedural feature.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified May 27, 2026.
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