Counsel must never contact the Courtroom Deputy or chambers on any matter that can be answered by reviewing the Court’s website and Standing Orders. Any messages seeking information that is available on the website will not be returned.

It is never appropriate to email chambers staff of Judge Valdez without prior permission of the Court. Counsel should also ordinarily not call chambers for any reason. Should an extraordinary circumstance require a telephone call to chambers, counsel for all parties should be on the call. Ex parte telephone calls to chambers on case-related matters should never occur unless it is impossible or impracticable to have all counsel for all parties on the call. When counsel or their agents call chambers ex parte absent an extraordinary circumstance, chambers staff have been instructed to inform the person calling that case-related matters may not be discussed ex parte by telephone. Anything that counsel or their agents should not say ex parte directly to the judge cannot be said to her chambers staff.

In the event it is necessary to communicate with chambers by telephone, anyone calling chambers should conduct themselves in the same manner as if they were speaking directly to the judge.