Procedures verified May 27, 2026
Judge John W. Holcomb — United States District Court, Central District of California
Courtroom 9D, 9th Floor, Ronald Reagan Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 411 W. 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. No remote appearances permitted under any circumstances — absolute in-person requirement at Santa Ana courthouse.
- 2. Ex parte opposition deadline is 24 hours from receipt, not the next court day — filing ex parte applications on Fridays or before holidays is disfavored.
- 3. Chambers copies delivered to Santa Ana courthouse (courtesy box outside 9D or Room 9-160), not Los Angeles — easy to misdeliver.
- 4. MSJ requires Joint Exhibit + Joint Statement in Excel format emailed to chambers at time of motion filing — failure results in court ordering redo.
- 5. Amended pleadings require a redlined copy emailed to JWH_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov the same day as electronic filing.
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Fridays at 9:00 a.m. (civil); Fridays at 2:00 p.m. (criminal) |
| Motion Limit | 25 pages |
| Reply Limit | 12 pages |
| Chambers Copies | ✓ Required One mandatory chambers copy of ONLY: (1) motions and related documents (oppositions, replies, exhibits); (2) ex parte applications and... |
| Tentative Rulings | No — the Court does not typically issue tentative rulings. |
| Remote Appearances | The Court does NOT allow virtual or telephonic appearances. All hearings conducted in person in Courtroom 9D. No remote access will be provided to parties, counsel, witnesses, visitors, or others. |
| Discovery | Yes — 'All discovery matters have been referred to a United States Magistrate Judge.' All documents must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in caption. Chambers copies of discovery papers go to assigned magistrate judge, not to this Court, unless magistrate explicitly waives the rule. |
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Before You File
Motion Days & Times
Fridays at 9:00 a.m. (civil); Fridays at 2:00 p.m. (criminal)
Notice Period
Per L.R. 6-1; not separately specified beyond Local Rules
Motion Page / Word Limit
25 pages
Opposition Limit
25 pages
Reply Limit
12 pages
Font & Formatting
14-point or larger per L.R. 11-3.1.1.
Footnote Policy
Not specified.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✓ Required
One mandatory chambers copy of ONLY: (1) motions and related documents (oppositions, replies, exhibits); (2) ex parte applications and related documents (oppositions and exhibits). Civil: also includes Joint Rule 26(f) reports. No other documents unless requested. Delivered to courtesy box outside Courtroom 9D, 9th floor, 411 W. 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701, no later than 5:00 p.m. the first court day following e-filing. Alternatively, overnight delivery (FedEx/UPS) to Chambers of Judge John W. Holcomb, Room 9-160, 411 W. 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Must comply with L.R. 11-3 formatting; blue-backing waived. Failure to deliver may result in rescheduled hearing and sanctions.
ECF Stamp Requirements
Must comply with L.R. 11-3 formatting on chambers copies; specific ECF stamp requirement not separately stated.
Proposed Orders
Each party must electronically lodge a proposed order. Also email proposed orders in Word format to JWH_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov. For MSJ: transmit Excel version of Joint Statement by email to JWH_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov at time of motion filing; also lodge PDF version on docket.
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Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
No — the Court does not typically issue tentative rulings.
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
Not applicable — no tentative rulings issued.
Oral Argument
Hearings held in person; no tentative rulings issued. Court may take matter off calendar without advance notice.
Remote Appearances
The Court does NOT allow virtual or telephonic appearances. All hearings conducted in person in Courtroom 9D. No remote access will be provided to parties, counsel, witnesses, visitors, or others.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Counsel shall not contact the Court or staff by telephone or any other ex parte means unless requested. Contact CRD at JWH_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov only when information cannot be found through available resources. Do not contact CRD about status of motions, stipulations, or proposed orders. Calendar conflicts: notify CRD prior to date of conflict.
Discovery Referral
Yes — 'All discovery matters have been referred to a United States Magistrate Judge.' All documents must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in caption. Chambers copies of discovery papers go to assigned magistrate judge, not to this Court, unless magistrate explicitly waives the rule.
Discovery Motion Process
All discovery matters handled by assigned magistrate judge. Parties deliver chambers copies to magistrate, not district court.
Ex Parte Applications
Opposition due 24 hours — not the next court day — after receipt of the ex parte application. Non-opposition notice may be provided telephonically to CRD at 714-338-4760.
Settlement Notification
Not specifically stated in standing order.
Lead Counsel
Lead trial counsel for each party must attend every status conference, scheduling conference, and pretrial conference. Failure is a basis for sanctions.
Under Seal Filings
Comply with L.R. 79-5 for both civil and criminal matters.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Good cause required. Request by stipulation and lodging proposed order at least one week in advance of scheduled hearing. 'Not ready for trial,' 'not ready for discovery cutoff,' and 'crowded trial schedule without more' do not constitute good cause.
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AI & Style Preferences
Additional Notes
Court is located in Santa Ana — Ronald Reagan Federal Building. MSJ Joint Statement uses 5-column table format (Fact No., Proponent, Statement, Evidence, Opponent Response, Proponent Reply); use Excel, no merged cells; consecutively numbered across all parties; no compound facts. No more than one Rule 56 motion per party. Continuance requests must be filed at least one week before the relevant date. Class certification deadline set during scheduling conference. Any motion noticed for non-court day may automatically be reset to next Friday.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified May 27, 2026.
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