Procedures verified May 27, 2026
Judge Fernando M. Olguin — United States District Court, Central District of California
Courtroom 6D, 6th Floor, Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse, Los Angeles
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Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Motions noticed more than 35 days beyond filing date may be stricken or advanced — unique stricter rule
- 2. Ex parte application: conformed copy must be hand-delivered to Clerk's Office drop box on same day as e-filing
- 3. No reply briefs on ex parte applications — they will be stricken
- 4. No telephonic appearances permitted — court sets telephonic hearings only on its own motion
- 5. Court order expected no later than Monday prior to a Thursday hearing — check docket before appearing
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. (civil). Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. (criminal). If Thursday is a national holiday, motions heard on the next Thursday. |
| Motion Limit | 7,000 words (Local Rule 11-6.1), including headings, footnotes, quotations, excluding caption, table of contents, table of authorities, signature block, and indices/exhibits. |
| Reply Limit | Not separately specified; follows Local Rules. Supplemental briefs filed without prior leave will be stricken. |
| Chambers Copies | ✓ Required A mandatory chambers copy of all e-filed documents shall be delivered to the Clerk's Office, 4th Floor, no later than noon the following... |
| Tentative Rulings | Not specified. Court may notify parties in advance if matter appropriate for decision without oral argument (Local Rule 7-15). |
| Remote Appearances | Telephonic appearances for hearings in court are not permitted. In some instances, the court will set telephonic hearings on its own motion via court order. |
| Discovery | Yes — 'Unless otherwise ordered, all discovery matters have been referred to the assigned magistrate judge, who will hear all discovery disputes.' (Initial Standing Order, Section III.B). All discovery-related documents must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in the caption. Magistrate judge's initials follow the district judge's initials in the case number. |
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Before You File
Motion Days & Times
Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. (civil). Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. (criminal). If Thursday is a national holiday, motions heard on the next Thursday.
Notice Period
28 days minimum (Local Rule 6-1). Motions noticed more than 35 days beyond filing date may be stricken or advanced to an earlier motion date. If motion is advanced, counsel must comply with briefing schedule for the new date.
Motion Page / Word Limit
7,000 words (Local Rule 11-6.1), including headings, footnotes, quotations, excluding caption, table of contents, table of authorities, signature block, and indices/exhibits.
Opposition Limit
7,000 words
Reply Limit
Not separately specified; follows Local Rules. Supplemental briefs filed without prior leave will be stricken.
Font & Formatting
Follows Local Rule 11. Word limits governed by Local Rule 11-6.1. Documentary evidence over 50 pages must be separately bound, tabbed with index. Over 300 pages: three-ring binder with index; counsel shall also provide a flash drive of OCR-scanned PDF with labeled bookmarks.
Footnote Policy
Word count limit includes footnotes (Local Rule 11-6.1).
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
✓ Required
A mandatory chambers copy of all e-filed documents shall be delivered to the Clerk's Office, 4th Floor, no later than noon the following business day. All mandatory chambers copies shall fully comply with Local Rule 11 document formatting requirements, including the 'backing' requirements of Local Rule 11-4.1.1. Each document must be labeled prominently 'Mandatory Chambers Copy' on the front page. NEF must be attached to the back of the document. Do not bind or staple separate filings together as one document. Ex parte applications: conformed copy must be hand-delivered to Clerk's Office drop box on the same day e-filed.
ECF Stamp Requirements
Yes — NEF must be attached to the back of mandatory chambers copy. Document must be labeled 'Mandatory Chambers Copy' on the front page.
Proposed Orders
Each party filing or opposing a motion shall serve and lodge a proposed order at the time the moving or opposition papers are filed. A copy in WordPerfect or Word format shall be e-mailed to fmo_chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov on the day the document is e-filed.
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Before the Hearing
Tentative Rulings
Not specified. Court may notify parties in advance if matter appropriate for decision without oral argument (Local Rule 7-15).
Prohibition / Ex Parte Contact Re Tentatives
Not specified.
Oral Argument
If the court deems a matter appropriate for decision without oral argument, court will notify parties in advance (Local Rule 7-15). Court strongly encourages parties to permit less experienced lawyers to actively participate. Counsel shall provide CRD with names of less experienced attorneys arguing at least 10 calendar days before the proceeding.
Remote Appearances
Telephonic appearances for hearings in court are not permitted. In some instances, the court will set telephonic hearings on its own motion via court order.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Counsel should not contact the court's law clerks unless responding to an inquiry initiated by chambers. Preferred method of communication is email to vanessa_figueroa@cacd.uscourts.gov. Do not contact the clerk for updates of proposed orders, motions, etc.
Discovery Referral
Yes — 'Unless otherwise ordered, all discovery matters have been referred to the assigned magistrate judge, who will hear all discovery disputes.' (Initial Standing Order, Section III.B). All discovery-related documents must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in the caption. Magistrate judge's initials follow the district judge's initials in the case number.
Discovery Motion Process
All discovery motions and proposed protective orders calendared before the assigned Magistrate Judge. Court will not reverse Magistrate Judge's order unless clearly erroneous or contrary to law. Motion for review must be filed within 14 days of service of written ruling.
Ex Parte Applications
Moving party shall immediately serve the ex parte application on the opposing party by fax, e-mail or hand delivery. Opposing party must be notified that any opposition must be filed within 24 hours (or one court day) after service. For parties who have not previously appeared: 48 hours. Party not intending to oppose must inform CRD via email. No reply briefs allowed — will be stricken. On the day of e-filing, conformed copy of moving, opposition, or non-opposition papers must be hand-delivered to Clerk's Office drop box on 4th Floor.
Settlement Notification
Not specified.
Lead Counsel
Not separately specified in these orders beyond general Local Rules.
Under Seal Filings
In civil cases: comply with Local Rule 79-5.2. In criminal cases: follow procedures in CR Under Seal Procedures document attached to JPS page. Documents presented at Civil or Criminal Intake Windows will be rejected if not following proper procedure.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Requests must be submitted no later than five court days prior to the expiration of the scheduled date. Must file a stipulation with a detailed declaration demonstrating good cause. Stipulation must indicate prior requests for continuances and whether granted or denied. If filing ex parte application for extension: must include declaration with same information.
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AI & Style Preferences
Additional Notes
Initial Standing Order dated July 2025. AI use disclosure: any party using AI in preparation of any filing must certify that they reviewed all source material and verified accuracy (Fed. R. Civ. P. 11). Each side limited to one motion for summary judgment. Motions to dismiss or in the alternative for summary adjudication discouraged. Motions to dismiss or to strike discouraged unless good faith belief motion will result in dismissal without leave to amend of all or at least some claims.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified May 27, 2026.
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