Civil Department Judges

San Mateo Superior Court Civil Division uses a direct calendar model, where all civil cases are assigned to a single judge, for all purposes.

Parties are required to comply with Local Rule 3.500, including that ex parte applicants and opponents must appear in person, subject to the exceptions set forth in CRC Rule 3.1207. Ex parte applications in Unlawful Detainer cases must be brought before the assigned civil judge, not the Presiding Judge. Each civil judge conducts ex partes in their assigned civil cases at 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. two days per week; please check the Court's website at www.sanmateo.courts.ca.gov under the Civil Division for the ex parte days of the week for your assigned judge. The Presiding Judge and the Probate Judge will continue to have their own separate ex parte days and hours.

Calendar Availability for New Motions

To schedule a motion on the assigned judge's calendar, check available dates on the calendar availability page.

Informal Discovery Conferences

Before filing a motion to compel discovery or any other discovery motion, parties must have had an Informal Discovery Conference with the Court. Counsel must have exhausted all meet and confer obligations before the Informal Discovery Conference. (Local Rule 3.700 (a)) The Civil Commissioner will hear Informal Discovery Conferences by conference call. To schedule an Informal Discovery Conference, email the Civil Commissioner's Department, IDC@sanmateocourt.org, after January 1, 2021. Please check available dates on the Informal Discovery Conference Calendar Availability page. Each Informal Discovery Conference will be scheduled for a 30 minute time slot.

Note: These Informal Discovery Conferences are for general civil cases only.

Mandatory Settlement Conference Procedures

Parties will no longer submit a paper copy of their Mandatory Settlement Conference (MSC) Statements to Master Calendar. Instead, parties must timely lodge their MSC Statements by e-filing with the Court. The assigned civil judge will calendar the MSC at the Case Management and Trial Date Setting Conference. The MSC will be conducted by a civil judge who is not the judge assigned to the case. Parties will be notified when and where to appear for the MSC.

Case Management Conferences

The Civil Commissioner hears the initial Case Management Conference. The calendar is heard via Zoom. Follow this link for the Commissioner Elliott's Zoom Credentials.