Rule 3.543.Transfer of action or claim

Division 4. Parties and Actions · Chapter 7. Coordination of Complex Actions · Article 4. Pretrial and Trial Rules for Complex Coordinated Actions · Last amended 2007 · Last verified July 29, 2026

In one sentenceRule 3.543 lets the coordination trial judge transfer a coordinated action or a severable claim to another court for a specified purpose or for all purposes, requires a hearing when a party objects, and lays out the filing and jurisdictional duties of the transferor and transferee courts once a transfer order issues.

Full Text of Rule 3.543

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

(a) Court may transfer coordinated action The coordination trial judge may order any coordinated action or severable claim in that action transferred from the court in which it is pending to another court for a specified purpose or for all purposes. Transfer may be made by the court on its own motion or on the motion of any party to any coordinated action. (Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2005.)

(b) Hearing on motion to transfer If a party objects to the transfer, the court must hold a hearing on at least 10 days’ written notice served on all parties to that action. At any hearing to determine whether an action or claim should be transferred, the court must consider the convenience of parties, witnesses, and counsel; the relative development of the actions and the work product of counsel; the efficient use of judicial facilities and resources; the calendar of the courts; and any other relevant matter. (Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted as part of subd (a) effective January 1, 1974; previously amended and lettered effective January 1, 2005.)

(c) Order transferring action The order transferring the action or claim must designate the court to which the action is transferred and must direct that a copy of the order of transfer be filed in each coordinated action. The order must indicate whether the action remains part of the coordination proceedings for purposes of the rules in this chapter. (Subd (c) amended and lettered effective January 1, 2005; adopted as part of subd (b) effective January 1, 1974.)

(d) Duties of transferor and transferee courts

(1) Duty of transferor court The clerk of the court in which the action was pending must immediately prepare and transmit to the court to which the action is transferred a certified copy of the order of transfer and of the pleadings and proceedings in the transferred action and must serve a copy of the order of transfer on each party appearing in that action.

(2) Duty of transferee court The court to which the action is transferred must file the action as if the action had been commenced in that court. No fees may be required for such transfer by either court.

(3) Transmission of papers If it is necessary to have any of the original pleadings or other papers in the transferred action before the coordination trial judge, the clerk of the court from which the action was transferred must, on written request of a party to that action or of the coordination trial judge, transmit such papers or pleadings to the court to which the action is transferred and must retain a certified copy. (Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted as part of subd (b) effective January 1, 1974; previously amended and lettered effective January 1, 2005.)

(e) Transferee court to exercise jurisdiction On receipt of a transfer order, the court to which the action is transferred may exercise jurisdiction over the action in accordance with the orders and directions of the coordination trial judge, and no other court may exercise jurisdiction over that action except as provided in this rule. (Subd (e) amended and lettered effective January 1, 2005; adopted as part of subd (b) effective January 1, 1974.)

End

Plain-English Summary

Coordinated actions do not always stay put in the court where they started. Rule 3.543 lets the coordination trial judge order a coordinated action, or a severable claim inside it, transferred to another court — either for one specific purpose or for the whole case — on the judge’s own motion or a party’s.

A party who objects to being moved gets a hearing, on at least ten days’ written notice to everyone in the action. At that hearing, the judge weighs the convenience of the parties, witnesses, and counsel; how far each action has developed and how much work counsel has already put in; the efficient use of judicial facilities and resources; the courts’ calendars; and any other relevant factor.

Once the judge decides to transfer, the mechanics run on their own track. The transfer order names the receiving court and must be filed in every coordinated action, and it has to say whether the transferred case stays part of the coordination proceeding. The clerk of the original court certifies and sends over the transfer order along with the pleadings and proceedings, without charging either court a fee, and the receiving court then files the case as though it had been filed there from the start. From that point, only the receiving court may exercise jurisdiction over the action, consistent with the coordination trial judge’s orders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a coordinated action be moved to a different court?

Yes. The coordination trial judge may transfer a coordinated action or a severable claim in it to another court, for a specified purpose or for all purposes.

Does a party get a hearing before a transfer?

Only if the party objects. Then the court must hold a hearing on at least 10 days’ written notice served on all parties to the action.

What factors does the court weigh at a transfer hearing?

The convenience of the parties, witnesses, and counsel; the relative development of the actions and counsel’s work product; efficient use of judicial resources; the courts’ calendars; and any other relevant matter.

Are there fees for transferring a coordinated action between courts?

No. Rule 3.543(d) states that no fees may be required for the transfer by either the transferor or transferee court.

Which court has authority over the case after a transfer?

The transferee court, which exercises jurisdiction in accordance with the coordination trial judge’s orders and directions; no other court may exercise jurisdiction over that action except as this rule provides.

Amendment History

Rule 3.543 amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007; adopted as rule 1543 effective January 1, 1974; previously amended effective January 1, 2005.

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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