A judge assigned pursuant to Section 404 who determines that coordination is appropriate shall order the actions coordinated, report that fact to the Chairperson of the Judicial Council, and the Chairperson of the Judicial Council shall either assign a judge to hear and determine the actions in the site or sites the assigned judge finds appropriate or authorize the presiding judge of a court to assign the matter to judicial officers of the court in the same manner as assignments are made in other civil cases.
§ 404.3.Assignment of Judge to Hear and Determine Actions
Title 4. Of the Place of Trial, Reclassification, and Coordination of Civil Actions · Chapter 3. Coordination · Last amended 2003 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentence§ 404.3 has the judge who found coordination appropriate report that finding to the Chairperson of the Judicial Council, who then either assigns a judge to hear all the coordinated actions or authorizes a presiding judge to assign the matter through the court's own normal case-assignment process.
Full Text of § 404.3
Plain-English Summary
Once a judge assigned under § 404 finds coordination appropriate, that judge orders the actions coordinated and reports the fact to the Chairperson of the Judicial Council. The Chairperson then either assigns a judge to hear and determine the actions at whatever site or sites the assigned judge found appropriate, or authorizes a court's presiding judge to send the matter through the court's own ordinary case-assignment process.
Either path keeps the appointment anchored to the site the assigned judge already found appropriate, rather than reopening that question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who ends up as the judge for a coordinated proceeding?
Either a judge the Chairperson of the Judicial Council specifically assigns, or a judge selected through a presiding judge's ordinary case-assignment process, once authorized.
Does the Chairperson of the Judicial Council always personally pick the coordination judge?
Not necessarily -- the Chairperson may instead authorize a presiding judge to assign the matter through the court's own regular case-assignment process.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2002 ch 784 (SB 1316),s 58, eff. 1/1/2003.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: judge assigned coordinated actions californiawho hears coordinated lawsuits california