(a) General law applicable Except as otherwise provided in the rules in this chapter, all provisions of law applicable to civil actions generally apply to an action included in a coordination proceeding. (Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2005.)
Rule 3.504.General law applicable
Division 4. Parties and Actions · Chapter 7. Coordination of Complex Actions · Article 1. General Provisions · Last amended 2007 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceRule 3.504 keeps ordinary civil procedure governing a coordinated action except where this chapter provides otherwise, gives this chapter's rules priority over conflicting general procedure under Code of Civil Procedure section 404.7, lets the assigned judge fill any procedural gap, and requires that judge to specify which local rules apply.
Full Text of Rule 3.504
(b) Rules prevail over conflicting general provisions of law To the extent that the rules in this chapter conflict with provisions of law applicable to civil actions generally, the rules in this chapter prevail, as provided by Code of Civil Procedure section 404.7. (Subd (b) amended and lettered effective January 1, 2005; adopted as part of subd (a).)
(c) Manner of proceeding may be prescribed by assigned judge If the manner of proceeding is not prescribed by chapter 3 (commencing with section 404) of title 4 of part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure or by the rules in this chapter, or if the prescribed manner of proceeding cannot, with reasonable diligence, be followed in a particular coordination proceeding, the assigned judge may prescribe any suitable manner of proceeding that appears most consistent with those statutes and rules. (Subd (c) amended and relettered effective January 1, 2005; adopted as subd (b).)
(d) Specification of applicable local rules At the beginning of a coordination proceeding, the assigned judge must specify, subject to rule 3.20, any local court rules to be followed in that proceeding, and thereafter all parties must comply with those rules. Except as otherwise provided in the rules in this chapter or as directed by the assigned judge, the local rules of the court designated in the order appointing the assigned judge apply in all respects if they would otherwise apply without reference to the rules in this chapter. (Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted as subd (c); previously amended and relettered effective January 1, 2005.)
Plain-English Summary
Coordination does not create a self-contained procedural world. Subdivision (a) keeps the general rules that apply to civil actions generally in force for an action swept into a coordination proceeding, except where this chapter says something different. Subdivision (b) then flips priority where the two conflict: this chapter's specific coordination rules control over the general provisions, a result Code of Civil Procedure section 404.7 requires. Together the two subdivisions describe a default of ordinary procedure with this chapter carved out on top wherever it speaks.
Subdivision (c) handles what happens when neither the coordination statutes nor this chapter's rules address a given procedural question, or when the prescribed way of proceeding cannot, with reasonable diligence, be followed in a particular proceeding. In that gap, the assigned judge may prescribe any suitable manner of proceeding consistent with those statutes and rules, a broad grant of case-management discretion suited to actions arriving from different counties with their own histories and quirks.
Subdivision (d) covers local rules. At the outset of a coordination proceeding, the assigned judge must specify, subject to rule 3.20, which local court rules apply, and every party must then follow that specification. Absent a different rule in this chapter or a contrary direction from the assigned judge, the local rules of the court named in the order appointing that judge apply by default, wherever they would otherwise apply on their own terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does general civil procedure still apply once a case is coordinated?
Yes, except where the rules in this chapter provide otherwise.
What happens if a general procedural rule conflicts with a rule in this chapter?
This chapter's rule controls, as Code of Civil Procedure section 404.7 requires.
What if no rule addresses a procedural question that comes up in a coordination proceeding?
The assigned judge may prescribe any suitable manner of proceeding that is consistent with the coordination statutes and the rules in this chapter.
Who decides which local court rules apply in a coordination proceeding, and when?
The assigned judge, who must specify the applicable local rules at the beginning of the proceeding, subject to rule 3.20.
Amendment History
Rule 3.504 amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007; adopted as rule 1504 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
Also known as: ccp 404.7 rules prevail coordination proceedingcal rule of court 3.504 general law applicablelocal rules coordinated action californiaassigned judge discretion coordination procedure