2024 California Rules of Court
Rule 10.202. Claims and litigation management
(a) Intent
The intent of this rule is to:
(1) Ensure that the trial and appellate courts are provided with timely, quality legal assistance; and
(2) Promote the cost-effective, prompt, and fair resolution of actions, proceedings, and claims that affect the trial and appellate courts and involve justices of the Courts of Appeal or the Supreme Court, trial court judges, subordinate judicial officers, court executive officers or administrators, or employees of the trial and appellate courts.
(Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective January 1, 2003.)
(b) Duties of Legal Services
To carry out the duty of the Judicial Council to provide for the representation, defense, and indemnification of justices of the Courts of Appeal or the Supreme Court, judges, subordinate judicial officers, court executive officers and administrators, and trial and appellate court employees under part 1 (commencing with section 810) to part 7 (commencing with section 995), inclusive, of the Government Code, Legal Services, under the direction of the Administrative Director and the Chief Counsel, must:
(1) Develop, manage, and administer a litigation management program for investigating and resolving all claims and lawsuits affecting the trial and appellate courts;
(2) Provide legal assistance to the trial or appellate court, and to any justice, judge, subordinate judicial officer, court executive officer or administrator, and trial or appellate court employee who is named as a defendant or responsible party, subject to the defense and indemnification provisions of part 1 (commencing with section 810) to part 7 (commencing with section 995), inclusive, of the Government Code, on receipt of notice of a claim or lawsuit affecting the trial or appellate court or of a dispute that is likely to result in a claim or lawsuit;
(3) Select and direct any counsel retained to represent any trial or appellate court, justice, judge, subordinate judicial officer, court executive officer or administrator, and trial or appellate court employee being provided legal representation under (2), after consultation with the trial or appellate court and any such individual defendant;
(4) Make settlement decisions in all claims and lawsuits other than those identified in (5), after consultation with the affected trial or appellate court, and any justice, judge, subordinate judicial officer, court executive officer or administrator, and trial or appellate court employee being provided legal representation under (2);
(5) Make recommendations to the Litigation Management Committee regarding proposed settlements of claims or lawsuits requiring payments of $100,000 or more or raising issues of significance to the judicial branch;
(6) Develop and implement risk avoidance programs for the trial and appellate courts;
(7) Provide an annual report to the Litigation Management Committee concerning the litigation management program; and
(8) Provide an annual report to each trial and appellate court concerning claims and lawsuits filed against that trial or appellate court.
(Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2016; previously amended effective July 1, 2002, January 1, 2003; January 1, 2007, and December 9, 2008.)
(c) Duties of trial and appellate courts
The trial and appellate courts must:
(1) Notify Legal Services promptly on receipt of notice of a dispute that is likely to result in a claim or lawsuit, or of a claim or lawsuit filed, against the court, a justice, a judge or subordinate judicial officer, a court executive officer or administrator, or a court employee, and forward the claim and lawsuit to Legal Services for handling; and
(2) Consult with Legal Services regarding strategic and settlement decisions in claims and lawsuits.
(Subd (c) amended effective January 1, 2016; previously amended effective July 1, 2002, January 1, 2003, and January 1, 2007.)
(d) Disagreements about major strategic decisions
Following consultation with Legal Services, a presiding judge or administrative presiding justice may object to a proposed decision of Legal Services about major strategic decisions, such as retention of counsel and proposed settlements, by presenting to Legal Services a written statement of the objection. Legal Services must present the written objection to the Litigation Management Committee, which will resolve the objection.
(Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2016; adopted effective January 1, 2003; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
Rule 10.202 amended effective January 1, 2016; adopted as rule 6.800 effective January 1, 2001; previously renumbered as rule 6.202 effective January 1, 2003; previously amended and renumbered as rule 10.202 effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective July 1, 2002, and December 9, 2008.