Rule 3.521.Petition for coordination

Division 4. Parties and Actions · Chapter 7. Coordination of Complex Actions · Article 3. Petitions and Proceedings for Coordination of Complex Actions · Last amended 2007 · Last verified July 29, 2026

In one sentenceRule 3.521 spells out what a Petition for Coordination must state and support with declarations, including the parties and attorneys involved, the status of every included action, related actions left out and why, and the facts supporting coordination under Code of Civil Procedure section 404.1, plus the deadlines for proving filing and service.

Full Text of Rule 3.521

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(a) Contents of petition A request submitted to the Chair of the Judicial Council for the assignment of a judge to determine whether the coordination of certain actions is appropriate, or a request that a coordination trial judge make such a determination concerning an add-on case, must be designated a “Petition for Coordination” and may be made at any time after filing of the complaint. The petition must state whether a hearing is requested and must be supported by a memorandum and declarations showing:

(1) The name of each petitioner or, when the petition is submitted by a presiding or sole judge, the name of each real party in interest, and the name and address of each party’s attorney of record, if any;

(2) The names of the parties to all included actions, and the name and address of each party’s attorney of record, if any;

(3) If the party seeking to submit a petition for coordination is a plaintiff, whether the party’s attorney has served the summons and complaint on all parties in all included actions in which the attorney has appeared;

(4) For each included action, the complete title and case number, the date the complaint was filed, and the title of the court in which the action is pending;

(5) The complete title and case number of any other action known to the petitioner to be pending in a court of this state that shares a common question of fact or law with the included actions, and a statement of the reasons for not including the other action in the petition for coordination or a statement that the petitioner knows of no other actions sharing a common question of fact or law;

(6) The status of each included action, including the status of any pretrial or discovery motions or orders in that action, if known to petitioner;

(7) The facts relied on to show that each included action meets the coordination standards specified in Code of Civil Procedure section 404.1; and

(8) The facts relied on in support of a request that a particular site or sites be selected for a hearing on the petition for coordination. (Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2005.)

(b) Submit proof of filing and service Within five court days of submitting the petition for coordination, the petitioner must submit to the Chair of the Judicial Council proof of filing of the notice of submission of petition required by rule 3.522, and proof of service of the notice of submission of petition and of the petition required by rule 3.523. (Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2007.)

(c) Copies of pleadings in lieu of proof by declaration In lieu of proof by declaration of any fact required by (a)(2), (4), (7), and (8), a certified or endorsed copy of the respective pleadings may be attached to the petition for coordination, provided that the petitioner specifies with particularity the portions of the pleadings that are relied on to show the fact. (Subd (c) amended effective January 1, 2005.)

(d) Effect of imminent trial date The imminence of a trial in any action otherwise appropriate for coordination may be a ground for summary denial of a petition for coordination, in whole or in part. (Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2005.)

End

Plain-English Summary

Subdivision (a) requires a request submitted to the Chair of the Judicial Council for assignment of a judge to determine whether coordination is appropriate, or a request that a coordination trial judge make that determination for an add-on case, to be designated a Petition for Coordination and supported by a memorandum and declarations. Those declarations must show, among other things, the identity of each petitioner or real party in interest and each party's attorney, the identity of the parties and attorneys in every included action, whether a petitioning plaintiff's attorney has served everyone who has appeared in those actions, case-identifying details for each included action, disclosure of any other known related pending action and why it is not included, the status of each included action's pretrial and discovery posture, the facts showing the coordination standards of Code of Civil Procedure section 404.1 are met, and any facts supporting a requested hearing site.

Subdivision (b) sets a follow-up deadline: within five court days of submitting the petition, the petitioner must send the Chair proof that the notice of submission required by rule 3.522 was filed, and proof that the notice and the petition were served as rule 3.523 requires. Subdivision (c) offers a shortcut for four of those required showings, letting the petitioner attach certified or endorsed copies of the underlying pleadings in place of a declaration, provided the petitioner specifies with particularity which portions of those pleadings support the point.

Subdivision (d) flags a practical risk built into timing: the imminence of a trial in an action that would otherwise be appropriate for coordination may itself be grounds for summary denial of the petition, in whole or in part, since coordination takes time that a trial about to begin may not allow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must a Petition for Coordination be called, and when can it be filed?

It must be designated a Petition for Coordination and may be filed at any time after the complaint is filed.

What deadline applies to proving the petition was filed and served?

Within five court days of submitting the petition, the petitioner must send the Chair of the Judicial Council proof that the notice of submission was filed and proof that the notice and petition were served.

Can a petitioner use pleadings instead of declarations to prove the required facts?

For four of the required showings, yes, by attaching certified or endorsed copies of the pleadings and specifying which portions support each fact.

Can an imminent trial date defeat a coordination petition?

Yes. It may be grounds for summary denial of the petition, in whole or in part.

Amendment History

Rule 3.521 amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted as rule 1521 effective January 1, 1974; previously amended effective January 1, 2005; previously amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007.

Source & verification. Rule text is reproduced verbatim from the Judicial Council of California. Adopted by the Judicial Council of California. Last verified July 29, 2026. · Official source

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