Civil Procedure Before Trial, 2025 ed. (The Rutter Group California Practice Guide)

Civil Procedure Before Trial is a comprehensive resource providing step-by-step pretrial procedure guidance for California civil litigators, beginning with client intake and continuing through the action and bringing it to trial. This practice guide contains detailed coverage of jurisdiction, pleadings, discovery, motion practice, and more.

This litigator’s “bible” provides a thorough analysis of applicable case law, statutes, and rules. It includes proven strategies, tactics, time-saving tips, and illustrations. Each topic and procedure is thoroughly developed so you know when, where, and how to proceed. Civil Procedure Before Trial is an invaluable addition to any legal library that will help you achieve optimal outcomes for your civil clients preparing for trial.

This practice guide covers a broad spectrum of contents, including:

• Prelawsuit considerations
• Parties to the action
• Jurisdiction and venue
• Summons
• Defaults — how to obtain them and how to cure them
• Pleadings
• Attacking the pleadings
• Anti-SLAPP motions
• Discovery
• Introduction
• The right to discovery
• Scope of discovery
• Discovery practice - preserving evidence - creating discovery plan
• Depositions
• Interrogatories
• Requests for admission
• Inspection demands
• Physical or mental examination
• Expert witness disclosure
• Other procedures for discovery
• Discovery in limited civil cases
• Discovery sanctions
• Law and motion
• Provisional remedies
• Nondiscovery sanctions
• Summary judgment and summary adjudication (CCP §437c)
• Dismissals
• Case management and trial setting
• Settlement procedures
• Judicial arbitration and mediation
• Representative and class actions

Written by preeminent legal experts, our comprehensive Rutter Group Practice Guides are indispensable resources for both novice and seasoned attorneys, providing accessible, authoritative guidance. Thoughtfully crafted in a concise, easy-to-read outline format, our guides simplify intricate legal concepts into clear, step-by-step instructions that facilitate swift mastery and application. Our Practice Guides feature:

• Relevant case law, statutes, and court rules focusing on issues facing practicing attorneys. Pivotal decisions illuminate key points, rather than just providing lists of citations, and prepare plaintiffs and defense counsel for various contingencies.
• Practical guidance that logically breaks down topics and procedures into manageable steps, illustrated with examples from actual cases.
• Expert insights, including battle-tested strategies, tactics, and time-saving tips and Practice Pointers from our esteemed authors equip you with the wisdom of experienced practitioners.
• Practice-proven sample forms conforming to applicable rules with insightful usage comments and suggestions.
• Comprehensive content, updated and revised by our authors and meticulously edited by Rutter Group attorney editors, ensures you stay abreast of the latest legal developments.