Heather Mardel Jones

Courtwide

Pretrial Exchange

At least five days before a civil trial, counsel must meet and confer, exchange written motions in limine, prepare jury instructions or trial briefs as applicable, and exchange proposed exhibit lists.

the attorneys for the parties shall meet and confer at least five (5) days prior to the date set for trial

Fresno County Superior Court Local Rules, January 2026 ↗

Courtwide

Trial Readiness

The Civil Supervising Judge conducts trial readiness on the Friday before trial; remote attendance requires advance approval based on extenuating circumstances.

No party may appear remotely unless previously approved by the Civil Supervising Judge

Fresno County Superior Court Local Rules, January 2026 ↗

Courtwide

Remote Appearances

Remote appearances for trial-related hearings, including settlement conferences, trial readiness, jury trials, and court trials, require form RA-020 and court approval.

Trial-related hearings ... will continue to require the submission of the Order on Notice of Remote Appearance (RA-020) form and court approval

Civil Division ↗

Statewide

Audiovisual Evidence

A party offering an electronic sound or sound-and-video recording must provide the court and opposing parties a transcript and provide opposing parties a duplicate of the recording.

the party must provide to the court and to opposing parties a transcript of the electronic recording and provide opposing parties with a duplicate of the electronic recording

California Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence ↗

Statewide

Remote Proceedings

California courts should permit remote participation in covered civil proceedings, subject to the statute, local rules, and controlling orders.

courts should permit parties to appear remotely at conferences, hearings, and proceedings in civil cases consistent with Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75

California Rule 3.672, Remote proceedings ↗

Statewide

Remote Participants And Witnesses

Covered civil parties and witnesses may appear remotely, and the court may conduct proceedings in whole or in part using remote technology.

that party or witness may appear remotely and the court may conduct conferences, hearings, and proceedings, in whole or in part, through the use of remote technology

California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75 ↗

Statewide

Recording And Broadcasting

Court proceedings may not be photographed, recorded, or broadcast except as Rule 1.150 permits.

Except as provided in this rule, court proceedings may not be photographed, recorded, or broadcast.

California Rule 1.150, Photographing, recording, and broadcasting in court ↗

Statewide

Expedited Jury Trial Presentations

In expedited jury trials, parties may use slides, electronic presentations, projections, exhibit notebooks, and other methods approved at the pretrial conference.

the parties may present summaries and may use photographs, diagrams, slides, electronic presentations, overhead projections, individual notebooks of exhibits for submission to the jurors, or other innovative methods of presentation approved at the pretrial conference

California Rule 3.1551, Case presentation ↗

Statewide

Expedited Jury Trial Pretrial Agreements

Voluntary expedited jury trial submissions must identify party agreements concerning electronic presentations and other proposed presentation methods.

Any agreements of the parties to use photographs, diagrams, slides, electronic presentations, overhead projections, notebooks of exhibits, or other methods of presenting information to the jury

California Rule 3.1548, Pretrial submissions for voluntary expedited jury trials ↗

Statewide

Exhibit Admission

An exhibit must be admitted by the judge before it may be used in the case.

The judge must to allow you to admit the exhibit as evidence in order for you to use it in your case.

How to introduce exhibits at a trial ↗

Heather Mardel Jones