2024 California Rules of Court
Rule 8.825. Abandonment, voluntary dismissal, and compromise
(a) Notice of settlement
(1) If a civil case settles after a notice of appeal has been filed, either as a whole or as to any party, the appellant who has settled must immediately serve and file a notice of settlement in the appellate division. If the parties have designated a clerk's or a reporter's transcript and the record has not been filed in the appellate division, the appellant must also immediately serve a copy of the notice on the trial court clerk.
(2) If the case settles after the appellant receives a notice setting oral argument, the appellant must also immediately notify the appellate division of the settlement by telephone or other expeditious method.
(3) Within 45 days after filing a notice of settlement-unless the court has ordered a longer time period on a showing of good cause-the appellant who filed the notice of settlement must file an abandonment under (b).
(4) If the appellant does not file an abandonment or a letter stating good cause why the appeal should not be dismissed within the time period specified under (3), the court may dismiss the appeal as to that appellant and order each side to bear its own costs on appeal.
(5) Subdivision (a) does not apply to settlements requiring findings to be made by the Court of Appeal under Code of Civil Procedure section 128(a)(8).
(b) Abandonment
(1) The appellant may serve and file an abandonment of the appeal or a stipulation to abandon the appeal in the appellate division.
(2) If the record has not been filed in the appellate division, the filing of an abandonment effects a dismissal of the appeal and restores the trial court's jurisdiction. If the record has been filed in the appellate division, the appellate division may dismiss the appeal and direct immediate issuance of the remittitur.
(3) The clerk must promptly notify the adverse party of an abandonment. If the record has not been filed in the appellate division, the clerk must also immediately notify the trial court.
(4) If the appeal is abandoned before the clerk has completed preparation of the transcript, the clerk must refund any portion of a deposit exceeding the preparation cost actually incurred.
(5) If the appeal is abandoned before the reporter has filed the transcript, the reporter must inform the trial court clerk of the cost of the portion of the transcript that the reporter has completed. The clerk must pay that amount to the reporter from the appellant's deposited funds and refund any excess deposit.
(c) Approval of compromise
If a guardian or conservator seeks approval of a proposed compromise of a pending appeal, the appellate division may, before ruling on the compromise, direct the trial court to determine whether the compromise is in the minor's or the conservatee's best interest and to report its findings.
Rule 8.825 adopted effective January 1, 2009.
Advisory Committee Comment
Abandonment of Appeal (Limited Civil Case) (form APP-107) may be used to file an abandonment under this rule. This form is available at any courthouse or county law library or online at www.courts.ca.gov/forms.