Long Cause Law & Legal Definition

Long cause cases are those in which the trial is expected to last more than a day. Because of busy court calendars, there are often expedited procedures for scheduling short cause cases ahead of long cause cases on the court docket. Court rules governing long cause cases vary by local area.

The following is an example of a court rule governing long cause cases:

C. LONG CAUSE LAW AND MOTION HEARINGS

(1) CALENDAR

a. A matter may be specially set for a long cause hearing from the Law and Motion calendar or the Case Management calendar by order of the Court.

b. A matter may be specially set for a long cause hearing date after filing a stipulation and order which declares a Law and Motion matter to be a long cause matter. When such an order is signed, the calendar secretary will contact parties and/or attorneys to select a mutually convenient CMC date.

c. To calendar initially long cause law and motion matters, the moving attorney or self-represented party shall submit to the document examiner a declaration which states the reasons for the time estimate. If both parties and attorneys agree on the time estimate, the stipulation and order shall accompany the declaration, including mutually available dates. The APJ shall then order the matter set for hearing or CMC.

(2) PROCEDURE

a. Unless excused by the Court, following the filing of a Request for Trial or a stipulation transferring the case to the long cause calendar, the case will be set for a CMC.

b. The Court may waive the settlement conference statement requirements for long cause law and motion matters, in its discretion.