Procedures verified May 27, 2026
Judge Sunshine S. Sykes — United States District Court, Central District of California
Courtroom 2, 2nd Floor, George E. Brown Jr. Federal Building, Riverside, CA
warning
Key Traps — Where Counsel Gets Caught
- 1. Zoom is the DEFAULT for all civil motions (except MILs, FPTC, and trials) — requesting in-person appearance is the exception
- 2. MSJ, preliminary injunction, and class certification require pre-clearing a hearing date with chambers; all other civil motions do not
- 3. Proposed orders in Word must be emailed to SSS_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov on the day of filing — failure may result in the motion being stricken
- 4. Extended MSJ/class cert briefing: motion 7 weeks before hearing, opposition 5 weeks, reply 4 weeks — plus 4-week minimum gap between reply and hearing
- 5. Applications to seal must be filed at least 2 weeks before the anticipated motion is filed
Quick Reference
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Motion Days | Fridays at 2:00 p.m. (civil). If Friday is a national holiday, the following Friday. |
| Motion Limit | 7,000 words (including headings, footnotes, and quotations; excluding caption, table of contents, table of authorities, signature block, certification, indices, and exhibits). |
| Reply Limit | 10 pages. |
| Chambers Copies | Conditional One (1) mandatory chambers copy required ONLY for: (civil) motion(s) for class certification; motion(s) for preliminary approval of class... |
| Tentative Rulings | No — The Court does not typically issue tentative rulings. |
| Remote Appearances | Default for civil matters: all hearings (except motions in limine, Final Pretrial Conferences, and Trials) proceed remotely by video appearance on Zoom. Requests for in-person appearance must be e-filed one (1) week before the hearing and must indicate counsel has met and conferred with opposing counsel consistent with Local Rule 7-3. Hearings on motions in limine, Final Pretrial Conferences, and Trials shall be held in person. No telephonic hearings. |
| Discovery | Yes — 'All discovery matters are hereby referred to the assigned Magistrate Judge, who will hear all discovery disputes.' All discovery documents must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in the caption. Do not deliver courtesy copies of discovery documents to Judge Sykes' chambers. |
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Before You File
Motion Days & Times
Fridays at 2:00 p.m. (civil). If Friday is a national holiday, the following Friday.
Notice Period
28 days before hearing (Local Rule 6-1). MSJ, preliminary injunction, and class certification require pre-clearing a date with chambers via SSS_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov.
Motion Page / Word Limit
7,000 words (including headings, footnotes, and quotations; excluding caption, table of contents, table of authorities, signature block, certification, indices, and exhibits).
Opposition Limit
7,000 words (same exclusions as motion).
Reply Limit
10 pages.
Font & Formatting
Times New Roman font required. Text no less than 14-point; footnotes no less than 12-point.
Footnote Policy
Permitted. Minimum 12-point font required.
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At Filing
Chambers Copies
Conditional
One (1) mandatory chambers copy required ONLY for: (civil) motion(s) for class certification; motion(s) for preliminary approval of class action; motion(s) for final approval of class action; motion(s) for summary judgment (oppositions, reply, exhibits); motion(s) for preliminary injunction (oppositions, reply, exhibits); and trial documents. Motions in limine and associated exhibits must be provided in a three-ring binder. Delivery: courtesy box outside Courtroom 2, 2nd floor, 3470 Twelfth Street, Riverside, CA 92501, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the first day following filing. Format: must comply with Local Rule 11-3; blue-backing waived. Pro se parties exempt.
ECF Stamp Requirements
Chambers copies must include on each page the running header created by the ECF system; on the first page, include the date the document was e-filed and the document number.
Proposed Orders
Required for every motion, application, or stipulation. Must be e-filed in PDF as attachment to main document AND emailed in Microsoft Word format to SSS_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov on the day of filing. Must use Court's template. Failure to email Word format may result in the motion being stricken.
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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 specified.
Oral Argument
Oral argument held unless Court deems matter appropriate for decision without oral argument, in which case Court takes matter under submission and notifies parties before the hearing.
Remote Appearances
Default for civil matters: all hearings (except motions in limine, Final Pretrial Conferences, and Trials) proceed remotely by video appearance on Zoom. Requests for in-person appearance must be e-filed one (1) week before the hearing and must indicate counsel has met and conferred with opposing counsel consistent with Local Rule 7-3. Hearings on motions in limine, Final Pretrial Conferences, and Trials shall be held in person. No telephonic hearings.
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Background Rules
Chambers Contact
Counsel must not contact the Court or chambers staff by email, telephone, or any other ex parte means. For appropriate matters only, contact CRD via SSS_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov. Do not contact CRD regarding status of any matter. Status calls/emails will not be returned. Include email, telephone, and fax number on all papers.
Discovery Referral
Yes — 'All discovery matters are hereby referred to the assigned Magistrate Judge, who will hear all discovery disputes.' All discovery documents must include 'DISCOVERY MATTER' in the caption. Do not deliver courtesy copies of discovery documents to Judge Sykes' chambers.
Discovery Motion Process
Calendar before the Magistrate Judge. Follow the Magistrate Judge's procedures. Magistrate Judge's decision is final; this Court will not reverse unless clearly erroneous and contrary to law. Motion for reconsideration must be filed within 2 weeks of written or oral ruling.
Ex Parte Applications
Opposition must be filed within 24 hours of receipt of the ex parte application. Court considers applications on the papers; no hearing. Application must include statement: 'This ex parte application complies with Local Rule 7-19's requirements.'
Settlement Notification
Parties should notify the CRD via email at SSS_Chambers@cacd.uscourts.gov if further settlement or mediation would be beneficial. ADR participation mandatory — all parties must complete ADR before Final Pretrial Conference or trial.
Lead Counsel
Lead trial counsel must attend any proceeding before this Court, including all Scheduling, Pretrial, and Settlement Conferences. Failure is a basis for sanctions.
Under Seal Filings
Follows Local Rule 79-5. Compelling reasons or good cause required for each individual item. Blanket confidentiality claims will be denied. Meet and confer required before filing application to seal. Applications to seal must be filed at least two weeks before the anticipated motion is filed. Complete version filed under seal plus redacted version for public viewing. Parties encouraged to file joint application to seal where possible.
Continuances & Calendar Conflicts
Continuances: must lodge proposed stipulation and order with detailed declaration of grounds, prior to the date to be continued. Good cause required, focusing on diligence and prejudice. Must meet and confer first and include Local Rule 7-3 compliance statement. Calendar conflicts: counsel must notify the CRD prior to the date of the conflict.
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AI & Style Preferences
Additional Notes
Scheduling and status conferences heard Fridays at 1:00 p.m. (Court routinely vacates these). Criminal matters heard Fridays at 9:00 a.m. Trials held Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–~4:30 p.m. Meet-and-confer declaration must include: (1) date(s) of conference, (2) positions of each party, (3) names of counsel present, (4) duration, (5) manner held, (6) issues discussed. Email correspondence alone does not satisfy Local Rule 7-3. Court prefers Westlaw citations over Lexis. Bluebook style required. Voluminous materials: if evidence exceeds 50 pages, separately bound and tabbed; if exceeds 200 pages, must be in three-ring binder.
Sources & Currency
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Procedures verified May 27, 2026.
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