Zoom/Hybrid Hearing Procedures For Department 2 (Updated March 3, 2026)

All hearings in Department 2 will be conducted in person unless specifically designated as a Zoom hearing or unless the Court has approved Zoom attendance in advance. No telephonic appearances will be permitted absent compelling circumstances. This includes using Zoom's telephone option.

While the Court appreciates in person attendance at hearings, the Court also recognizes the significant benefits to parties of attending certain types of hearings by Zoom. Thus, unless an order or tentative ruling otherwise directs, parties who wish to attend a hearing by Zoom must contact Courtroom Deputy, Russell Paluso, at (619) 557-5157 no later than 10:00 a.m. two business days before the hearing. The Court will accommodate listen only Zoom requests only if Zoom will already be utilized on that day.

The Court will generally call matters where all parties are in court in person first, followed by matters where some parties are in court and some parties are on Zoom, and then matters where all parties are appearing via Zoom last.

The Court will routinely approve Zoom appearances for the following hearings:

1. Appearances at reaffirmation hearings;
2. Appearances for matters where the parties will discuss general status, other than the final pre-trial status conference in an adversary proceeding;
3. Matters that will be continued by consent of all parties;
4. Settled matters requiring assistance from the Court; and
5. Other matters where less than 10 minutes of argument is anticipated.

The Court will also allow a Zoom appearance where the Court deems it otherwise justified. Such matters, for example, could involve childcare concerns, health concerns of the attorney or a family member, travel difficulties, etc. The Court will consider emergency requests for Zoom appearance after the deadline established above but only for emergencies that become apparent after the deadline. In addition, the parties can request a Zoom appearance after the deadline where a matter settles or is otherwise finally resolved after the deadline.

Parties who anticipate frequent Zoom appearances should ensure that they have technology available that will allow them to be heard and seen clearly. Parties who do not have the required technology should plan on attending in person.

The Court will not routinely allow Zoom appearances for the following:

1. Final pre-trial status conferences in adversary proceedings;
2. Contested plan confirmation hearings;
3. Long cause argument matters (any matter where argument is anticipated to last more than 10 minutes);
4. Any matter involving complex argument;
5. Any matter that is potentially case dispositive and contested (regardless of how long argument is anticipated to go); and
6. Trial. (In the case of trial, however, the parties may request attendance by discrete witnesses via Zoom given, in particular, geographic issues. The Court will decide such appearance issues on a case by case basis.)