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Local Rules of Superior Court of California, County of Imperial

experts shall be borne by the parties in a Rule 5.1.13 Disqualification of Court proportion to be ordered by the Court. Expert

[Rule 5.10 adopted July 1, 2007 is renumbered to 5.1.11 01/01/12] No expert appointed by the Court to perform an independent custody evaluation under Rule 5.1.12 Court Experts Family Code Section 3110 and Rule 5.220 of the California Rules of Court may be When a court-appointed investigator makes peremptorily challenged. contact with minor children of families being [Rule 5.12 adopted July 1, 2007 is renumbered to 5.1.13 investigated, the following rules shall apply: 01/01/12]

(a) The investigator must advise the child Rule 5.1.14 Distribution of Investigation that any disclosures will not be Report confidential, unless the Court grants a The investigation report of any expert protective order protecting such appointed by the Court shall be distributed in disclosures, in which case, the writing as follows: A copy will be delivered investigator shall so advise the child. to the Court in an envelope marked Where the lack of confidentiality “confidential.” Contemporaneously, copies seems to impede the investigation, the shall be delivered or mailed to all counsel and investigator may recommend that an unrepresented parties. Service on counsel attorney be appointed for the child, or shall be considered sufficient service on the communicate with each party (or party represented by that counsel. counsel, if represented) and recommend that the matter be [Rule 5.13 adopted July 1, 2007 is renumbered to 5.1.14 calendared for the purpose of 01/01/12] discussing an appropriate protective order. Rule 5.1.15 Complaints against Court Mediators, Evaluators, and Investigators (b) In a dispute between parents, a child interviewed by the investigator with Any party or attorney representing a party one parent must be interviewed with with a grievance regarding mediation or the other, unless the Court orders evaluation may file a complaint with the CEO otherwise on good cause shown. or designee according to court policy.

[Rule 5.14 adopted July 1, 2007, amended 07/01/08, Rule

(c) Initial interviews of siblings must be 5.14 is renumbered to 5.1.15 01/01/12] conducted separately, but subsequent joint interviews may be appropriate. Rule 5.1.16 Case Management

(a) It is the policy of the Superior Court(d) In a dispute between parents, an
to actively manage family law cases investigation may be based on an
in order to reduce unnecessary delay interview with only one parent, unless
and expense, encourage reasonable the Court orders otherwise on good
preparation, and facilitate early cause shown.
settlement.

[Rule 5.11 adopted July 1, 2007 is renumbered to 5.1.12 01/01/12] (b) At the time of filing a petition for any case under this chapter, an initial case management conference will be scheduled by the Court one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter and

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