DEPARTMENT 61 | COURTROOM INFORMATION
JUDGE: Hon. Lynne Hobbs
JUDICIAL ASSISTANT: Ms. Vanessa Livesay
COURTROOM ASSISTANT: Sky SoYeon Hahn
LOCATION: 111 N. Hill St., Dept. 61
Room 732 (7th Floor)
Los Angeles, CA
90012
TELEPHONE NUMBER: (213) 633-1061
EMAIL ADDRESS: SMCDept61@[Link]
LA COURTCONNECT: [Link]
COURTROOM HOURS: Monday through Friday (Except for Legal
Holidays) 8:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
1:30 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.
(Closed for Lunch: 12:00 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.)
CIVILITY
The Court places a high value on civility, courtesy, and professionalism in the practice of
law and the judicial process. The Court expects all attorneys and parties to treat each
other, witnesses, jurors, court personnel, the Court, and others with the highest level of
courtesy both inside and outside the courtroom.
The Los Angeles County Bar Association has adopted “Guidelines for Civility in Litigation”
which the Los Angeles Superior Court has adopted as recommendations to members of the
bar. (LASC Local Rules, Appendix 3A, see
[Link]
The Court expects all attorneys and parties to read and follow those guidelines.
CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCES
Case Management Conferences (CMC) are held at 9:00 a.m. The parties must comply with
California Rules of Court, rule 3.722 et seq., and Local Rule 3.25 in connection with such
conferences.
Counsel attending a CMC should be prepared to discuss all aspects of the case.
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SCHEDULING MOTION HEARINGS
Parties must reserve all motion hearing dates in advance on the Court Reservation System
at [Link], under “Online Services,” “Civil,” “Court Reservation System (CRS).”
Motions are set for hearing at 9:00 a.m., Monday through Friday. The Court issues written
tentative rulings for most motions. The Court will post the tentative ruling on the Court’s
website.
The Court does not need courtesy copies of filings unless specifically requested.
EX PARTE APPLICATIONS
The Court hears ex parte applications at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. The Court
typically considers and rules on ex parte applications based on the papers, without hearing
oral argument. Attorneys and self-represented parties may appear for ex parte hearings
remotely by LACourtConnect. Ex parte applications must comply with the requirements of
California Rule of Court, rules 3.1200-3.1207.
Please note that, unless a party is a self-represented litigant or otherwise exempt from
mandatory electronic filing requirements, all ex parte applications and supporting papers
must be electronically filed by 10:00 A.M. the court day before the ex parte hearing, and
any written opposition to an ex parte application must be electronically filed by 8:30 a.m.
the day of the ex parte hearing.
DISCOVERY DISPUTES
The Court expects and encourages the parties’ counsel and any self-represented parties to
informally resolve discovery disputes, instead of using expensive and cumbersome
discovery motions. To that end, the Court conducts informal discovery conferences.
The parties must first meet and confer in person, by video conference, or by telephone call
to attempt to informally resolve all discovery disputes. If no agreement can be reached,
the Court is available to assist in trying to reach a resolution. The Court suggests, however,
that the parties allow the Court to mediate the dispute before filing any discovery motion.
In that regard, the Court encourages that the parties stipulate to extend a deadline to file
such motions so that they may meaningfully meet and confer and complete an informal
discovery conference.
To schedule an Informal Discovery Conference (IDC) with the Court, the requestor should
e-file the Court an IDC request on Judicial Council form that is no longer than three pages,
without attachments. The Court then will reach out to the requestor for a date and time
that works with the Court’s schedule. When the Court reaches out, the requestor already
should have met and conferred with opposing counsel regarding mutually available dates
and times. Before the IDC, opposing counsel shall file and serve an IDC statement no
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longer than three pages, without attachments. Should the parties work out the discovery
dispute prior to the IDC, the requestor should promptly notify the Court so that it may
release the date.
The Court does not expect parties to use the IDC process for third-party discovery
disputes nor motions to compel (initial).
TRIAL PREPARATION ORDER
The Court generally sets a Final Status Conference two weeks before the trial date.
Department 61 has an Order re Final Status Conference and Trial Procedure. Please refer
to it for more detailed information. The Court expects the parties’ counsel and any self-
represented parties to work together to jointly prepare and submit the documents and
binders required by that order.
LESS EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS
The Court strongly encourages law firms and governmental agencies to give less
experienced attorneys the opportunity to argue motions, and to have an important role at
trial, including examining witnesses, conducting voir dire, and giving opening statements
and closing arguments.
INTERPRETERS
Court-certified language interpreters will be provided to limited English-speaking
litigants free of charge. Please make the request at the Court’s website at
[Link] or inform the Judicial Assistant as soon
as possible. When presenting your case in court, a court-certified language interpreter
must be used.
COURT REPORTERS
The Court does not provide a court reporter absent a fee waiver. A party who has
received a fee waiver pursuant to CRC 3.55(7) may request an official court reporter by
filing form FW-020 at least 10 calendar days before the hearing or trial. (See CRC
2.956(c).) Given the limited availability of official court reporters, the Court may not
know whether a reporter is available until the day of the hearing or trial. Proceedings in
unlimited jurisdiction courts are not electronically recorded.
The Court strongly recommends the use of a court reporter for both bench trials and jury
trials.
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