--- title: "Christopher Hayes | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/christopher-hayes" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Christopher Hayes Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino · Superior Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino - State: California - Role: Superior Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-28 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Senior Appellate Court Attorney at the Fourth District Court of Appeal (2015–present) - Newly appointed judge of the San Bernardino County Superior Court, sworn in on January 24, 2025, after being appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in December 2024. - Counsel at Boies, Schiller & Flexner from 2011 to 2014 and an Associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner from 2004 to 2010 - Judicial Law Clerk in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit from 2003 to 2004 - Judicial Law Clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (2003–2004) - Judicial Law Clerk for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana from 2002 to 2003 - Judicial Law Clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana (2002–2003) - Christopher Hayes, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court - The court has emphasized that filling these gaps is essential to restoring public confidence and expanding access to justice ### Education - Duke University School of Law — J.D. ### Additional information - Governor Gavin Newsom announced Hayes’ appointment on December 13, 2024, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Teresa M. Bennett. - Now serving on the San Bernardino Superior Court, one of California’s most underjudged courts, which currently has multiple judicial vacancies. - His appointment addresses a critical need in San Bernardino County, which has five judicial vacancies and an assessed need for 27 additional judicial officers. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### trial readiness submissions Scope: courtwide For unlimited civil trials, Local Rule 411.2 requires specified trial materials at the trial readiness conference, including motions in limine oppositions, jury instructions, verdict forms, witness and exhibit lists, stipulated facts, voir dire questions, and a case statement. Evidence excerpt: Counsel and parties shall submit the following items to the court at the Trial Readiness Conference [San Bernardino Superior Court Local Rules](https://sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=local-rules%2Frulesofcourt.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-28 ### electronic exhibit bookmarks Scope: courtwide Represented parties filing electronic exhibits must bookmark the first page of each exhibit and label each bookmark with the exhibit number or letter and a short description. Evidence excerpt: Electronic exhibits must include electronic bookmarks with links to the first page of each exhibit [San Bernardino Civil eFiling Requirements](https://sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov/online-services/efiling/civil-efiling/civil-efiling-requirements) Source checked: 2026-07-28 ### audiovisual evidence Scope: statewide A party offering an electronic sound or sound-and-video recording must provide the court and opposing parties a transcript and provide opposing parties a duplicate of the recording. Evidence excerpt: the party must provide to the court and to opposing parties a transcript of the electronic recording and provide opposing parties with a duplicate of the electronic recording [California Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_1040) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### remote proceedings Scope: statewide California courts should permit remote participation in covered civil proceedings, subject to the statute, local rules, and controlling orders. Evidence excerpt: courts should permit parties to appear remotely at conferences, hearings, and proceedings in civil cases consistent with Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75 [California Rule 3.672, Remote proceedings](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_672) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### remote participants and witnesses Scope: statewide Covered civil parties and witnesses may appear remotely, and the court may conduct proceedings in whole or in part using remote technology. Evidence excerpt: that party or witness may appear remotely and the court may conduct conferences, hearings, and proceedings, in whole or in part, through the use of remote technology [California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=367.75.&lawCode=CCP) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### recording and broadcasting Scope: statewide Court proceedings may not be photographed, recorded, or broadcast except as Rule 1.150 permits. Evidence excerpt: Except as provided in this rule, court proceedings may not be photographed, recorded, or broadcast. [California Rule 1.150, Photographing, recording, and broadcasting in court](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/one/rule1_150) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### expedited jury trial presentations Scope: statewide In expedited jury trials, parties may use slides, electronic presentations, projections, exhibit notebooks, and other methods approved at the pretrial conference. Evidence excerpt: the parties may present summaries and may use photographs, diagrams, slides, electronic presentations, overhead projections, individual notebooks of exhibits for submission to the jurors, or other innovative methods of presentation approved at the pretrial conference [California Rule 3.1551, Case presentation](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1551) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### expedited jury trial pretrial agreements Scope: statewide Voluntary expedited jury trial submissions must identify party agreements concerning electronic presentations and other proposed presentation methods. Evidence excerpt: Any agreements of the parties to use photographs, diagrams, slides, electronic presentations, overhead projections, notebooks of exhibits, or other methods of presenting information to the jury [California Rule 3.1548, Pretrial submissions for voluntary expedited jury trials](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1548) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### exhibit admission Scope: statewide An exhibit must be admitted by the judge before it may be used in the case. Evidence excerpt: The judge must to allow you to admit the exhibit as evidence in order for you to use it in your case. [How to introduce exhibits at a trial](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/how-introduce-exhibits-trial) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://courts.ca.gov/courts/superior-courts/judges-roster) - [Official roster](https://courts.ca.gov/courts/superior-courts/judges-roster) - [Judicial Branch of California official judicial roster](https://courts.ca.gov/courts/superior-courts/judges-roster) - [California Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_1040) - [California Rule 3.672, Remote proceedings](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_672) - [California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=367.75.&lawCode=CCP) - [California Rule 1.150, Photographing, recording, and broadcasting in court](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/one/rule1_150) - [California Rule 3.1551, Case presentation](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1551) - [California Rule 3.1548, Pretrial submissions for voluntary expedited jury trials](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1548) - [How to introduce exhibits at a trial](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/how-introduce-exhibits-trial) - [San Bernardino Superior Court Local Rules](https://sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=local-rules%2Frulesofcourt.pdf) - [San Bernardino Civil eFiling Requirements](https://sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov/online-services/efiling/civil-efiling/civil-efiling-requirements) - [Governor Newsom announces judicial appointments 12.13.24](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/12/13/governor-newsom-announces-judicial-appointments-12-13-24/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/christopher-hayes", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/christopher-hayes", "name": "Christopher Hayes | KnowJudges", "description": "Christopher Hayes, Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino. 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Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=file/roc-title-2.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [California Civil Rules](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-b2d4d123885851a5fcca88dd) — Civil proceedings; Rule 3.10 and specialized-case exclusions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=file/roc-title-3_3.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [California Criminal Rules](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-f6b70a7925331d01ac4f3da8) — Criminal proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=file/roc-title-4.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [California Family and Juvenile Rules](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-b35daaa50a3da8133dcea76d) — Family and juvenile proceedings only; a general Superior Court assignment does not establish a personal family/juvenile assignment. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=file/roc-title-5_3.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [California Probate Rules and Mental Health Rules](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-7c869f3fd279fe758c2d41be) — Probate and mental health proceedings only; a general Superior Court assignment does not establish a personal probate assignment. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=file/roc-title-7.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [California Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-cece5afa480bc6cbddca965c) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_1040). Collected 2026-07-26. - [California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-e40ba2699f4d3d815dac46ca) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=367.75.&lawCode=CCP). Collected 2026-07-26. - [California Rule 1.150, Photographing, recording, and broadcasting in court](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-e59897426ff892cfcd8e0103) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/one/rule1_150). Collected 2026-07-26.