California Case Management Conference Checklist for Pro Per Litigants
A California civil Case Management Conference is often the first major court-management event in a lawsuit. For a pro per litigant, the key is to know the conference date, the CM-110 deadline, the meet-and-confer obligation, and the facts the judge may ask about.
Fast Answer
- California Rule of Court 3.725 requires the Case Management Statement to be filed and served no later than 15 calendar days before the case management conference or review.
- California Rule of Court 3.724 generally requires parties to meet and confer no later than 30 calendar days before the initial case management conference unless the court orders otherwise.
- Track whether all parties have appeared, been served, or been dismissed before the CMC.
- Bring a simple status picture: pleadings, service, discovery, ADR, motions, related cases, trial availability, and next requested dates.
Track the two major CMC countdowns
For many California civil cases, two countdowns matter before the first CMC: the meet-and-confer timing and the Case Management Statement timing.
Rule 3.724 says parties must meet and confer no later than 30 calendar days before the initial CMC unless the court orders another time period. Rule 3.725 says each party must file and serve a Case Management Statement no later than 15 calendar days before the CMC or review.
Know what CM-110 is trying to tell the court
Form CM-110 tells the court about the status of the case so the court can determine readiness for trial or another method of resolving the dispute.
A pro per tracker should have fields for service status, appearances, cross-complaints, related cases, discovery, ADR, motions, insurance, trial readiness, and dates when the party is unavailable.
Use the CMC as a status dashboard
Before the hearing, reduce the case to a one-page status view: what has been filed, who has appeared, what deadlines are pending, what discovery is open, what motions are planned, and what you need from the court.
This is not legal advice. It is workflow discipline. A self-represented litigant still needs to understand the rules, local procedures, and case-specific orders.
After the hearing, update the tracker immediately
A CMC may produce new hearing dates, deadlines, orders, referral dates, or filing requirements. Update the case tracker before the details get lost.
Attach any minute order or notice to the case timeline, then create deadline records for each required follow-up.
Common Questions
When is the California Case Management Statement due?
California Rule of Court 3.725 says each party must file and serve a Case Management Statement no later than 15 calendar days before the case management conference or review, unless a case-specific order changes the timing.
When do parties meet and confer before a California CMC?
California Rule of Court 3.724 generally requires parties to meet and confer no later than 30 calendar days before the initial case management conference unless the court orders another time period.
What should a pro per litigant track before a CMC?
Track the CMC date, department, judge, CM-110 deadline, meet-and-confer date, service status, appearances, pleadings, discovery, ADR, motions, related cases, trial availability, and any follow-up tasks.
Sources
Ready to Track Your Case?
Lawzuit gives pro per litigants a private workspace for cases, filings, service dates, deadlines, notes, and next steps.