INDEX OF GENERAL ORDERS

Copies of the current Asbestos General Orders may be downloaded from this website by clicking on the General Orders link located to the left of this web page.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY ASBESTOS GENERAL ORDERS.

In approximately 1978 the Los Angeles Superior Court designated asbestos exposure litigation as “complex” and created a separate Asbestos Department to contain and manage pre-trial proceedings. Numerous case management General Orders were created over the years to manage the asbestos litigation. The General Orders are expressly authorized by Los Angeles County Superior Court Local Rule 2.5(k), and are mandatory for use.

"The Los Angeles Asbestos Litigation has been determined to be complex litigation within the meaning of California Rules of Court, Appendix, Division One, Standards of Judicial Administration Recommended by the Judicial Council, Section 19. A file entitled “In re Los Angeles Asbestos Litigation - General Orders,” File No. C 700000, has been established by the Court. All orders issued and filed in said general order file shall apply to the entire Los Angeles Asbestos Litigation."
Local Rule 2.5(k). Section 19 was redesignated as California Rules of Court, Standards of Judicial Administration, Standard 3.10 effective January 1, 2007.

In 1996 the Asbestos Department closed and the asbestos personal injury cases were transferred to the Independent Calendar [I/C] courts at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse [Central]. At that time all General Orders were reviewed to determine if they were applicable to Independent Calendar court use. Several General Orders were terminated. The General Orders that were retained kept their original numbers so that there are now several numerical gaps in the General Orders.

Second Amended General Order No. 3 provides for two special files for the General Orders. [1] In re Los Angeles Asbestos Litigation - General Orders # C 700000 (the “General Order File”) holds the current General Orders. [2] In re Los Angeles Asbestos Litigation Motion Re General Orders #C 700002 (the General Order Motion File) holds all law and motion regarding the General Orders. Second Amended General Order No. 3 provides special procedures to create, modify, or terminate, a General Order. Any motion must be approved by the Supervising Judge of Civil before it is filed. The original court files for # C 700000 and #C 700002 are maintained in the courtroom of the Supervising Judge of Civil, Department One of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.