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Santa Barbara 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.

16 documents, 28 required sections, taken from Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara’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.

  • Case Management Statementeach party, 1 required sections. no later than 15 calendar days before the case management conference, which is itself set 120 calendar days from the filing of the complaint
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Mandatory Settlement Conference Requirements (Departments SM 1 and SM 2)each party, 1 required sections. one week before the mandatory settlement conference, which in appropriate cases is set at least ten days before trial
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Mandatory Settlement Conference Statement (Department SM 4)each party, 1 required sections. no later than five court days before the initial date set for the settlement conference
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department 3 Trial Call Submissioneach party, 2 required sections. seven calendar days in advance of the trial call
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department 3 Opposition and Reply on Motions in Limineeach party, 1 required sections. opposition five calendar days in advance of the trial call, reply four calendar days in advance of the trial call
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department 5 Trial Confirmation Conference Submissioneach party, 2 required sections. five court days prior to the Trial Confirmation Conference date
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department 5 Joint Evidence Binderjointly, 1 required sections. at least three court days prior to the Trial Confirmation Conference date
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Departments SM 1 and SM 2 Trial Submissioneach party, 4 required sections. at least five court days before the trial date
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Departments SM 1 and SM 2 Non-Jury Trial Briefeach party, 1 required sections. no later than three days before the trial date
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department SM 4 Trial Submissioneach party, 2 required sections. at least three court days before the trial date
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Exhibit List and Exhibit Packet (Departments SM 1, SM 2 and SM 4)each party, 4 required sections. exchanged with the other side at least five business days before the scheduled hearing or trial, with courtesy copies brought to court on the first day of trial
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Exhibit Packet for an Authorized Remote Appearanceeach party, 2 required sections. at least three business days before the scheduled hearing or trial
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Depositions and Expert Exchange Lodged for Trial (Department SM 1)each party, 1 required sections. prior to the commencement of trial
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department 4 Trial Call Submissioneach party, 2 required sections. forthwith at trial call, if not already done
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department 4 Statement of the Casejointly, 1 required sections. at the pre-trial conference, which Department 4 holds on the first day of trial
    Pleading paper is being corrected
  • Department 4 Evidence Bindereach party, 2 required sections. on the first morning of trial
    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

Case Management Statement

Prepared by each party. Filed, no later than 15 calendar days before the case management conference, which is itself set 120 calendar days from the filing of the complaint. Applies to all civil cases. SBSC Local Rule 1309(b) and 1309(c)(1)

  1. Case management statement
    • A case management statement filed no later than 15 calendar days before the case management conference

Mandatory Settlement Conference Requirements (Departments SM 1 and SM 2)

Prepared by each party. Filed, one week before the mandatory settlement conference, which in appropriate cases is set at least ten days before trial. Applies to civil cases in Santa Maria Departments SM 1 and SM 2 in which the court orders an MSC. SBSC Dept. SM 1 Policies and Procedures (rev. 08/27/2026), Pre-Trial, Mandatory Settlement Conferences; SBSC Dept. SM 2 Policies and Procedures (rev. 04/08/2025)

  1. The department's MSC requirements
    • The mandatory settlement conference requirements of the department, filed one week before the conference

Mandatory Settlement Conference Statement (Department SM 4)

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, no later than five court days before the initial date set for the settlement conference. Applies to civil cases in Santa Maria Department SM 4 set for a settlement conference. SBSC Dept. SM 4 Policies and Procedures, Mandatory Settlement Conferences (b)

  1. Settlement conference statement
    • A mandatory settlement conference statement as required by CRC 3.1380(c) and Local Rule 1423
    • Submission to the court
    • Service on each party

Department 3 Trial Call Submission

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, seven calendar days in advance of the trial call. Applies to jury trials in South County Department 3, and court trials by way of Court Trial Rules para. 10. SBSC Dept. 3 Guidelines (Judge Thomas P. Anderle), Jury Trial Rules para. 7(B); Court Trial Rules para. 10

  1. The seven day trial call package
    • Your witness list, in alphabetical order
    • Your in limine motions, numbered consecutively, with proof of service by fax or electronically
    • Your preferred statement of the case
    • Your proposed verdict forms
    • Your proposed jury instructions
    • Your trial brief
    • Your exhibits list
  2. Court trials, same package with adjustments
    • The same items requested for a jury trial, except those inapplicable to a bench trial
    • Particular attention to the exhibits list and the exhibits exchange
    • No closing brief

Department 3 Opposition and Reply on Motions in Limine

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, opposition five calendar days in advance of the trial call, reply four calendar days in advance of the trial call. Applies to trials in South County Department 3. SBSC Dept. 3 Guidelines, Jury Trial Rules paras. 7(D) and 7(E)

  1. Opposition papers and supplemental instructions
    • Opposition to in limine motions, with proof of service by fax or electronically
    • Any supplemental jury instructions suggested by the opposition's proposals
    • Replies to motions in limine, four calendar days in advance of the trial call

Department 5 Trial Confirmation Conference Submission

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, five court days prior to the Trial Confirmation Conference date. Applies to all trials in South County Department 5, with the jury instruction package limited to jury trials. SBSC Dept. 5 Requirements and Procedures, Pretrial Preparation, All Trials

  1. All trials
    • The table of contents of the party's evidence binder
    • A complete witness list
    • A trial brief
    • Any motions in limine
  2. Jury trials, instructions and verdict
    • The CACI list by number
    • The text of each CACI instruction as you want it given
    • The text of any special instruction, with supporting authorities
    • A proposed verdict form
    • A joint statement of the case

Department 5 Joint Evidence Binder

Prepared jointly. Brought to the conference, at least three court days prior to the Trial Confirmation Conference date. Applies to all trials in South County Department 5. SBSC Dept. 5 Requirements and Procedures, Pretrial Preparation, All Trials

  1. Joint evidence binder
    • A meet and confer among all parties
    • A joint evidence binder
    • Sufficient copies for the witness stand
    • A copy for the bench
    • A copy for each side in the case

Departments SM 1 and SM 2 Trial Submission

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, at least five court days before the trial date. Applies to jury trials in Santa Maria Departments SM 1 and SM 2. SBSC Dept. SM 1 Policies and Procedures (rev. 08/27/2026), Jury Trials; SBSC Dept. SM 2 Policies and Procedures (Judge James F. Rigali, rev. 04/08/2025), Jury Trials

  1. Trial brief, exhibit list and witness list
    • The trial brief
    • A separate agreed upon statement of the case
    • A joint exhibit list, or separate lists if a joint one is not possible
    • The witness list
    • A courtesy copy emailed to the department
  2. Joint statement of the case and mini-opening statements
    • A joint statement of the case for the benefit of the jury, to be read during voir dire, e-filed five court days before the trial date
    • A courtesy copy emailed to the department, using eFiling code Statement with the trial date in the Filing Description
    • Written mini-opening statements of no more than three minutes per side, e-filed at least five days before trial
  3. Jury instructions, special findings and verdict forms
    • A list of proposed jury instructions by CACI number
    • Any pinpoint instructions
    • Special findings
    • Verdict forms
    • Any proposed language added to or differing from approved CACI language, headed Special Instruction
    • A separate attachment of supporting points and authorities for each special instruction
  4. Motions in limine
    • Motions in limine, e-filed at least five court days before trial
    • Opposition papers, e-filed at least one court day before the trial date

Departments SM 1 and SM 2 Non-Jury Trial Brief

Prepared by each party. Filed, no later than three days before the trial date. Applies to non-jury trials in Santa Maria Departments SM 1 and SM 2. SBSC Dept. SM 1 Policies and Procedures (rev. 08/27/2026), Non-Jury Trials; SBSC Dept. SM 2 Policies and Procedures (rev. 04/08/2025), Non-Jury Trials

  1. Trial brief directed at the controverted issues
    • A trial brief directed at the key controverted issues
    • Points and authorities

Department SM 4 Trial Submission

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, at least three court days before the trial date. Applies to jury and non-jury trials in Santa Maria Department SM 4. SBSC Dept. SM 4 Policies and Procedures (Judge Jed Beebe), Jury Trials and Non-Jury Trials

  1. Trial brief, exhibit list and witness list
    • The trial brief
    • A joint exhibit list, or separate lists otherwise
    • The witness list
    • A courtesy copy emailed to SM4Continue@sbcourts.org
  2. Jury trial papers: statement of the case, instructions and motions in limine
    • A joint statement of the case for the jury, e-filed three court days before the trial date
    • A list of proposed jury instructions by CACI number
    • Any pinpoint instructions
    • Motions in limine, e-filed at least three court days before trial
    • Oppositions to motions in limine, e-filed one court day before trial

Exhibit List and Exhibit Packet (Departments SM 1, SM 2 and SM 4)

Prepared by each party. Delivered to the clerk, exchanged with the other side at least five business days before the scheduled hearing or trial, with courtesy copies brought to court on the first day of trial. Applies to hearings and trials in Santa Maria Departments SM 1, SM 2 and SM 4. SBSC Countywide Exhibit Protocol (rev. Aug. 2026), Instructions para. 2; SBSC Dept. SM 1, SM 2 and SM 4 Policies and Procedures, Exhibit Requirements

  1. The Exhibit List, first page of the packet
    • The Exhibit List as the first page of the exhibit packet
    • Each exhibit listed in numerical order
    • The number of the exhibit
    • The type of exhibit
    • A brief description of the exhibit
    • Local form SC-1043, printed or downloaded
  2. Assembly, tabs and numbering
    • For five or fewer exhibits totaling 25 pages or less, a divider sheet in front of each exhibit, blank except for the number at the bottom
    • For more than five exhibits, an exhibit binder using numbered tab pages before each exhibit
    • Plaintiff or petitioner numbering from 1 through 200
    • Defendant or respondent numbering from 201 through 400
  3. Exchange with the other side
    • The Exhibit List
    • The proposed exhibits, organized the same way as the court packet
    • Copies of the exhibits submitted to the court, provided to the other party
    • Delivery at least five business days before the scheduled hearing or trial, unless the court sets a different date
  4. Courtesy copies on the first day of trial
    • A Court copy
    • A Witness copy
    • A Clerk copy
    • A Counsel copy

Exhibit Packet for an Authorized Remote Appearance

Prepared by each party. Delivered to the clerk, at least three business days before the scheduled hearing or trial. Applies to authorized remote appearances only, in any of the six civil departments. SBSC Countywide Exhibit Protocol for Authorized Remote Appearances Only (rev. Aug. 2026), Instructions para. 1

  1. Hard copy delivery and order
    • Hard copies of all exhibits delivered to the court at least three business days before the scheduled hearing or trial
    • Exhibits organized in the order they are listed on the Exhibit List
  2. Assembly for a remote appearance
    • For five or fewer exhibits totaling 25 pages or less, a divider sheet in front of each exhibit, blank except for the number at the bottom
    • For more than five exhibits, an exhibit binder using numbered tab pages before each exhibit

Depositions and Expert Exchange Lodged for Trial (Department SM 1)

Prepared by each party. Lodged, prior to the commencement of trial. Applies to trials in Santa Maria Department SM 1. SBSC Dept. SM 1 Policies and Procedures (rev. 08/27/2026), Witnesses

  1. Depositions and expert exchange papers
    • All depositions to be used at trial, e-lodged with the court
    • Notice to the court of any depositions that are unsigned
    • Use of the eFiling code Deposition Lodged, with the trial date in the Filing Description field
    • Original transcripts used at trial, available to the court in hard copy
    • The expert witness exchange demand
    • The response to the expert witness exchange demand

Department 4 Trial Call Submission

Prepared by each party. Filed and served, forthwith at trial call, if not already done. Applies to all trials in South County Department 4, with the jury instruction package limited to jury trials. SBSC Trial Call Order (Dept. 4, Judge Donna D. Geck), Rev. 10/04/2011, All Trials

  1. All trials
    • The table of contents of the party's evidence binder
    • A complete witness list
    • The party's trial brief
    • Any motions in limine
  2. Jury trials, instructions and verdict forms
    • A list of the parties' requested CACI instructions, by number
    • The edited text of each CACI instruction as you want it given
    • The text of any special instruction, with supporting authorities
    • Proposed verdict forms

Department 4 Statement of the Case

Prepared jointly. Brought to the conference, at the pre-trial conference, which Department 4 holds on the first day of trial. Applies to civil jury trials in South County Department 4. SBSC Pre-Trial Order Civil Jury (Dept. 4), Rev. 10/04/2011

  1. Statement of the case to be read to the jury
    • A joint statement of the case to be read to the jury
    • Or, if the parties are unable to agree, a separate statement of the case from each party

Department 4 Evidence Binder

Prepared by each party. Delivered to the clerk, on the first morning of trial. Applies to all trials in South County Department 4. SBSC Trial Call Order (Dept. 4), Rev. 10/04/2011, Evidence Binder

  1. The binder and its copies
    • A meet and confer before the binder is brought in
    • The party's evidence binder, delivered to the clerk of Dept. 4 on the first morning of trial
    • Sufficient copies for the Judge
    • A copy for the witness stand
    • A copy for each side in the case
    • No binder exceeding three inches
  2. The trial exhibit index controls admission
    • Identification and description of every exhibit on the trial exhibit index

Start with the joint documents

2 of these are prepared jointly: Department 5 Joint Evidence Binder; Department 4 Statement of the Case. 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 there is no single countywide name. each civil department anchors its trial documents to a different event, and the local rules create none of them. department 3 (anderle) counts backward from the "trial call" and separately holds a "pretrial conference" whose date and time are noticed later. department 4 (geck) issues a "trial call order" at trial call and holds the "pre-trial conference on the first day of trial." department 5 (sterne) uses a "trial confirmation conference" on the monday calendar at 11:30, after which a separate "pretrial conference" and trial commencement date are set. santa maria departments 1, 2 and 4 count backward from the trial date itself and, for non-jury trials, sm1 and sm2 refer to an "issues conference" that produces a list of controverted issues. sm4 does not mention an issues conference at all. the only pretrial conference the local rules create for a civil case is the case management conference under rule 1309., which the court sets, and counting back from trial instead is the commonest way one gets missed. The full rule list for Santa Barbara 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 · Santa Barbara trial binder rules · Trial countdown calculator