The following is a message from Supervising Judge Lon Hurwitz. It relates to the new family law ex parte procedures effective October 5, 2020.
Please do not assume these procedures remain in effect by the time you read this. Procedures are subject to change. Please check the Superior Court website and/or local rules or with the family law or department clerk for potentially more current or other procedures.
You have requested, on behalf of the Bar, some guidance from us regarding the various ex parte procedures that are in place since the Covid epidemic.
Unfortunately, because of many unforeseen issues that have arisen in our Court over the last few weeks, these various ex parte procedures are now somewhat disparate and confusing.
Please allow this e-mail to provide the membership with some clarity; and some changes that we hope will simplify the process for filing ex partes.
First, by way of explanation, the North Justice Center (Fullerton) had to be closed 3 weeks ago due to necessary emergency repairs.
At this time, we do not know when the North Justice Center will reopen.
As a result of that closure, it was necessary that 19 Courts be relocated to other Courthouses in the County.
As a result of that need, Judges Gaffney, Ospino, and De La Cruz will have to be relocated to Lamoreaux.
Judges Silbar, Millard, and Commissioner Wilson will remain at their Justice Centers for the time being.
So in order to facilitate an easy process for the filing of ex partes, beginning Monday, 10/5, we will be instituting the following;
Counsel can file ex partes via e-filing. There will be an “ex parte” option in the e-filing system that will divert the e-filed ex parte document to a special queue for immediate handling and routing to the appropriate Department, including Central and Harbor;
We will have an “Ex Parte Table” set up at Lamoreaux where Counsel or Pro Pers can drop off their Ex Parte, which will then be routed to the appropriate Department, including Harbor and Central.
Counsel and the Pro Pers will be required to provide their e-mail addresses so we can send copies of the ruled upon documents that day; or, if no e-mail address is included, Counsel/Parties can return to pick up the ruling at the end of the day; or the ruling can be mailed.
We will continue to route ex partes to the judicial officer assigned to the case, or to the Duty Judge should that judicial officer not be present that day. Additionally, we will continue to route new DV ex parte filings to our DV Courts for the TRO requests.
I hope that these new protocols will make it easier for the Bar and their clients; and please know that we very much appreciate the Bar’s understanding and cooperation in these continually challenging times.