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San Diego County trial document templates

Not legal advice. Rules checked against the code on August 20, 2026. Verify every date yourself. Read the full disclaimer

Core CCP rules were checked against Westlaw (via CoCounsel legal research) on August 20, 2026. County local rules are paraphrased summaries. Individual department and judge standing orders are included only where the court publishes them and we have read the document, so assume your own department has requirements beyond what you see here. Verify every date against the operative code sections, your court’s rules and your department’s own order before relying on it. Using this site creates no attorney-client relationship.

12 documents, 9 required sections, taken from Superior Court of California, County of San Diego’s own published rules and read 2026-09-14. Each one downloads as California pleading paper with this court’s required sections already placed, so the document cannot silently omit one.

A blank template is easy to find anywhere. What is hard to find is which sections this court requires inside the document, because that lives in a local rule nobody indexes. Every heading below is cited to the subdivision it came from, and the rule’s own sentence prints beside it in the reference sheet so you can check your work.

Download these as templates

The reference sheet below carries everything this court requires, each rule quoted from its own text and cited to the subdivision. The pleading paper templates are temporarily down while the line numbering is rebuilt, because the rail did not line up with the body text and a pleading whose lines cannot be cited is worse than no template at all.

Your details optional, blanks print as ruled lines

These stay in this browser. They are not sent anywhere, and the file is built on this machine, so a case name never reaches our server.

  • Written Settlement Conference Statementeach party. lodged with the settlement conference judge and served on the other parties five court days before the settlement conference
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Request to be Excused from Personal Attendance at the Settlement Conferenceeach party. at least five court days before the settlement conference
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Joint Trial Readiness Conference Report (SDSC form CIV-252)jointly, 6 required sections. submitted to the assigned judge five court days before the scheduled trial readiness conference, which is generally three weeks before trial
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Joint Trial Readiness Conference Statement on Compensationjointly. completed, signed and filed after the parties meet, before the trial readiness conference on compensation that is set at the Case Management Conference
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Notice of Remote Appearance (Judicial Council form RA-010)each party. at least two court days before the trial readiness conference
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Motions in Limineeach party, 1 required sections. five court days before trial call, unless the court directs otherwise
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Proposed Juror Questionnaires with SDSC Juror Questionnaire Cover Sheeteach party. five court days before trial call
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Original Deposition Transcripts and Designated Excerptsnot stated, 1 required sections. before trial, with designated excerpts exchanged at the meeting held at least three court days before the initial trial call date
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Opposition to Motions in Limineeach party. two court days before trial call, unless the court directs otherwise
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Exhibit Binders and Joint Trial Notebookeach party, defendant the exhibit binders and plaintiff the Joint Trial Notebook, unless the parties agree otherwise. Joint Trial Notebook at trial call, exhibit binders the first day of trial
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Joint Trial Notebookjointly. brought to the Friday trial call, with two sets of exhibit binders and three copies each of the joint witness and exhibit lists due the day trial commences
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Proposed Jury Instructions, Full Texteach party, 1 required sections. on the scheduled trial date
    Pleading paper is being corrected

Everything this court requires in one editable document, with each rule quoted and cited.

What each document has to carry

Written Settlement Conference Statement

Prepared by each party. Lodged and served, lodged with the settlement conference judge and served on the other parties five court days before the settlement conference. Applies to all civil cases set for a settlement conference, except unlawful detainer proceedings in which a party is represented by counsel under the Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Act. SDSC Rule 2.3.1.2, first paragraph (deadline) and second paragraph (five page cap) (Div. II, ch. 3)

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Request to be Excused from Personal Attendance at the Settlement Conference

Prepared by each party. Served only, at least five court days before the settlement conference. Applies to any party seeking to be excused from personal attendance at a settlement conference. SDSC Rule 2.3.1.1(D) (Div. II, ch. 3)

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Joint Trial Readiness Conference Report (SDSC form CIV-252)

Prepared jointly. Filed, submitted to the assigned judge five court days before the scheduled trial readiness conference, which is generally three weeks before trial. Applies to all civil trials where the case has not settled in its entirety. SDSC Rule 2.1.15, first paragraph, third and fourth sentences (Div. II, ch. 1)

  1. Nature of the case, for reading to the jury panel (CIV-252, paragraph B)
    • A joint description of the nature of the case
    • Brief, non-argumentative wording
    • Language suitable for reading to a jury panel
  2. Joint numerical exhibit index (CIV-252, paragraph E)
    • A single joint numerical index of all exhibits
    • Each exhibit separately listed
    • No sub-parts to any exhibit
    • The format provided in the form
    • The exhibit number
    • The party by whom the exhibit is submitted
    • A description sufficient for identification
    • Either a stipulation to admissibility or the legal grounds for objection
  3. Jury instructions requested by each side (CIV-252, paragraphs F and G)
    • Standard jury instructions requested by plaintiff(s), each cited by number
    • Special instructions requested by plaintiff(s), listed by title
    • Standard jury instructions requested by defendant(s), each cited by number
    • Special instructions requested by defendant(s), listed by title
    • Copies of the proposed special instructions, presented to the court at the conference and not filed with the report
  4. Special verdict form (CIV-252, paragraph H)
    • The proposed special verdict form, attached to the report, if a party will propose one
  5. Witness list (CIV-252, paragraph I)
    • The names of all witnesses, experts included
    • Each witness identified by type, expert or percipient
    • Plaintiff's witnesses and defendant's witnesses listed separately
  6. Certification and signatures (CIV-252, certification block)
    • That the attorneys met and conferred jointly
    • That a good faith settlement demand or offer was made and the case did not settle
    • That all deadlines set by the court for the exchange of experts have been met
    • That all discovery is complete
    • That the parties are ready for trial
    • The signature and date of each attorney

Joint Trial Readiness Conference Statement on Compensation

Prepared jointly. Filed, completed, signed and filed after the parties meet, before the trial readiness conference on compensation that is set at the Case Management Conference. Applies to eminent domain only. SDSC Rule 2.4.5(C) (Div. II, ch. 4, Special Case Categories)

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Notice of Remote Appearance (Judicial Council form RA-010)

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, at least two court days before the trial readiness conference. Applies to any party who intends to appear remotely for trial. SDSC Rule 2.5.8(A), second paragraph (Div. II, ch. 5)

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Motions in Limine

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, five court days before trial call, unless the court directs otherwise. Applies to all civil trials. SDSC Rule 2.1.18, first paragraph, second sentence (Div. II, ch. 1)

  1. Scope limits and the subjects that may not be raised by written motion
    • A scope limited in accordance with Clemens v. American Warranty Corp. (1978) 193 Cal.App.3d 444, 451
    • A scope limited in accordance with Kelly v. New West Federal Savings (1996) 49 Cal.App.4th 659, 670-671
    • A scope limited in accordance with Amtower v. Photon Dynamics, Inc. (2008) 158 Cal.App.4th 1582
    • No written motion on any of the four subjects that Rule 2.1.18, second paragraph, subdivisions (A) through (D) reserves for oral motion

Proposed Juror Questionnaires with SDSC Juror Questionnaire Cover Sheet

Prepared by each party. Lodged, five court days before trial call. Applies to jury trials only. SDSC Rule 2.1.17 (Div. II, ch. 1)

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Original Deposition Transcripts and Designated Excerpts

Prepared by not stated. Lodged, before trial, with designated excerpts exchanged at the meeting held at least three court days before the initial trial call date. Applies to civil trials assigned to Department 62. SDSC Dept. 62 Advance Trial Review Order (Hon. Judy S. Bae, as of 07.2026), heading DEPOSITION TRANSCRIPTS / TESTIMONY

  1. What is lodged and what is exchanged
    • The original transcript of every deposition that may be used at trial for any purpose
    • A list of any changes made by the deponent after the taking of the deposition
    • The designated excerpts, exchanged at the meeting held at least three court days before the initial trial call date
    • Clean copies of the designated excerpts showing the beginning and ending page and line numbers

Opposition to Motions in Limine

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, two court days before trial call, unless the court directs otherwise. Applies to all civil trials. SDSC Rule 2.1.18, first paragraph, second sentence (Div. II, ch. 1)

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Exhibit Binders and Joint Trial Notebook

Prepared by each party, defendant the exhibit binders and plaintiff the Joint Trial Notebook, unless the parties agree otherwise. Brought to the conference, Joint Trial Notebook at trial call, exhibit binders the first day of trial. Applies to civil trials assigned to Department 62. SDSC Dept. 62 Advance Trial Review Order (Hon. Judy S. Bae, as of 07.2026), heading EXHIBIT BINDERS & JOINT TRIAL NOTEBOOK

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Joint Trial Notebook

Prepared jointly. Brought to the conference, brought to the Friday trial call, with two sets of exhibit binders and three copies each of the joint witness and exhibit lists due the day trial commences. Applies to civil trials assigned to Department 72. SDSC Dept. 72 Policies and Procedures, paragraph 9, Trial Requirements

The county rule requires this document and does not say what goes in it. That is the rule’s silence, not a gap here. Your department’s order is where the contents will be.

Proposed Jury Instructions, Full Text

Prepared by each party. Lodged, on the scheduled trial date. Applies to jury trials only. SDSC Rule 2.1.16, first and second sentences (Div. II, ch. 1)

  1. Requirements for special jury instructions
    • Gender neutral wording
    • Plain English
    • No special instruction on a matter addressed by a Judicial Council CACI instruction
    • No supporting authority on the original special instructions, although authority may be included on the copies submitted

Start with the joint documents

4 of these are prepared jointly: Joint Trial Readiness Conference Report (SDSC form CIV-252); Joint Trial Readiness Conference Statement on Compensation; Exhibit Binders and Joint Trial Notebook; Joint Trial Notebook. A joint document needs a meet and confer before it can be filed, so it sets the real deadline even though the filing date is the same as everything else.

When each one is due

Most of these do not run off the trial date. They run off the trial readiness conference (trc), which the court sets, and counting back from trial instead is the commonest way one gets missed. The full rule list for San Diego County carries every rule with its quoted text, and the trial countdown calculator computes the statewide CCP chain.

How these were built

Every rule was researched from the court’s own published text, then checked a second time by a reader told to assume a rule had been invented. Grouping those rules into the documents a court actually wants was a further pass, and an adversarial check corrected it: the commonest error was a document whose contents the first pass left empty while the rule enumerated them. Templates are generated in your browser, so nothing you type is sent anywhere. See methodology.

Related: All courts with templates · San Diego trial binder rules · Trial countdown calculator