Michael T. Smyth at a glance
- Current role
- Superior Court Judge, Civil Independent Calendar, Hall of Justice, Department 67
- Court
- Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
- Jurisdiction
- California · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Michael T. Smyth
Superior Court Judge, Civil Independent Calendar, Hall of Justice, Department 67 · Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
Available research
Biography
Judicial service
- Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 2003-2020
- Assistant Presiding Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 2020-2021
Courtroom rules and guidance
Electronic Trial Exhibits
Judge Smyth prefers the court's trial copy of exhibits on a thumb drive when possible; opening-statement exhibits and demonstratives must also be disclosed to opposing counsel in advance.
Judge Smyth prefers that his copy of the exhibits for use during the trial be provided on a thumb drive if possible.Department 67 Policies and Trial Procedures ↗
Remote Screen Sharing
For San Diego remote hearings, the clerk must grant permission before a participant can share exhibits or information from a computer screen.
If you are expecting to need to share exhibits or information from your own computer screen during a hearing, please be familiar with how to show your screen in a Teams meeting. The clerk will need to grant permission for you to be able to share your screen.How to Appear for Your Hearing ↗
Remote Trial Evidence
Unless the assigned judge orders otherwise, evidence for a civil trial with a remote participant must be submitted to the court and served at least five court days before trial.
parties appearing remotely must submit and serve all evidence to the court at least five court days prior to the scheduled trial dateSan Diego Local Rules, Division II - Civil ↗
Electronic Exhibit Format
E-filed exhibits must be bookmarked to each exhibit, identified by number or letter and description, and submitted as text-searchable PDF files.
E-filed documents that contain exhibits must include electronic bookmarks with links to the first page of each exhibit and titles that identify the exhibit number or letter and briefly describe the exhibit.San Diego Local Rules, Division II - Civil ↗
Media Storage Exhibits
Absent court permission, media storage devices cannot be attached as exhibits to motions or pleadings; the media must be lodged instead.
Absent leave of court, the court will not accept for filing any media storage device, such as a Compact Disc (CD), Digital Video Disc (DVD), or flash drive, that is attached as an exhibit to a motion or pleading.San Diego Local Rules, Division II - Civil ↗
Audio Video Recordings
To obtain pre-hearing review of an audio or video recording, the party must lodge the recording and file a transcript of the relevant portions as an exhibit.
Lodge the recording and file a transcript of the relevant portions sought to be considered by the court as an exhibit.San Diego Local Rules, Division II - Civil ↗
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 recordingCalifornia Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence ↗
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 367.75California Rule 3.672, Remote proceedings ↗
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 technologyCalifornia Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75 ↗
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 ↗
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 conferenceCalifornia Rule 3.1551, Case presentation ↗
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 juryCalifornia Rule 3.1548, Pretrial submissions for voluntary expedited jury trials ↗
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 ↗
Sources
Superior Court of California, County of San Diego official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · checked July 28, 2026
https://www.sandiego.courts.ca.gov/portal/about/judges_s.htmlCourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/13056/michael-t-smyth/San Diego Department Policies and Procedures
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 28, 2026
https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/generalinformation/localrulesofcourt/rocdepartmentrulesCalifornia Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_1040California Rule 3.672, Remote proceedings
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_672California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=367.75.&lawCode=CCPCalifornia Rule 1.150, Photographing, recording, and broadcasting in court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/one/rule1_150California Rule 3.1551, Case presentation
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1551California Rule 3.1548, Pretrial submissions for voluntary expedited jury trials
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1548How to introduce exhibits at a trial
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/how-introduce-exhibits-trialHow to Appear for Your Hearing
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/virtualhearingsSan Diego Local Rules, Division II - Civil
Judge research source · PDF · checked July 28, 2026
https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sites/default/files/sdcourt/generalinformation/localrulesofcourt/division_ii_-_civil_2026.pdfDepartment 67 Policies and Trial Procedures
Judge research source · PDF · checked July 28, 2026
https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sites/default/files/sdcourt/generalinformation/localrulesofcourt/rocdepartmentrules/department67/department_67_rules_and_procedures.pdf