--- title: "Randolph M. Hammock | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randolph-m-hammock" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Randolph M. Hammock Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles · Civil Trial Judge eligible for trial assignment from Department 1, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Department 509 ## Profile - Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles - State: California - Role: Civil Trial Judge eligible for trial assignment from Department 1, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Department 509 - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-28 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, 2011-present - He held a position as an associate at the Law Offices of Stephen J. Dimeff (1983–1985), then as a partner at Chelski, Hammock & Hedges (1985–1995), and later at the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester (1996–2008), where he led the litigation department. ### Education - B.A. magna cum laude from San Diego State University in 1980 and his J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1983. ### Additional information - Then elected to the Los Angeles Superior Court in 2010, where he currently presides over unlimited civil cases in an Independent Calendar Court at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. - In 2008, Hammock was appointed as a juvenile dependency court Referee in Los Angeles County, serving until 2010. - He passed the California bar in 1984 and subsequently practiced law in Los Angeles. - Date of birth: 1952-06-12 - As a judge, he emphasizes clear, concise writing and often incorporates cultural references in his rulings. - Known for his depth of legal knowledge, including election law, and his ability to communicate effectively with juries. - He has unique skills such as sign language proficiency and a wide range of personal interests from sports to cinema. - He has filed cases in 54 of California’s 58 counties and has extensive trial experience across multiple states. - Randolph Martin Hammock was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to San Diego, California, at age 12. - Hammock had a nearly 25-year career as a civil trial attorney, practicing in a wide range of areas including consumer law, civil rights, insurance defense, and motorcycle injury cases. - During his practice, he was admitted to the bars of 14 other states and practiced in over 20 federal district and appellate courts, giving him one of the broadest legal practices in the U.S.. - Hammock is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), which recognizes the top 1% of trial lawyers in the country. - Birth place: Jacksonville, IL ## 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 ### small claims digital evidence Scope: courtwide For Los Angeles Small Claims matters, the court provides a system to upload, exchange, view, and present evidence for a hearing. Evidence excerpt: allows Small Claims litigants to upload, share, view, and present evidence for a specific hearing [Los Angeles Superior Court Digital Evidence System](https://www.lacourt.org/digitalevidence/) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### small claims evidence exchange Scope: courtwide Los Angeles Small Claims parties must upload evidence and share it with other parties at least ten days before the hearing. Evidence excerpt: Upload their evidence to the Court's Digital Evidence System (DES) ... at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled hearing date and share the evidence with the other party or parties [Second Amended Standing Order re Evidence Exchange, 2024-SJ-006-00](https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSSmallClaims-21-2024-SJ-006-00-2ndAmendedStandingOrderReEvidenceExchange.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### 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://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSCivil-133-JudgesHearingCivilTrialsAssignedfromDepartment1.pdf) - [Official roster](https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSCivil-133-JudgesHearingCivilTrialsAssignedfromDepartment1.pdf) - [Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles official judicial roster](https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSCivil-133-JudgesHearingCivilTrialsAssignedfromDepartment1.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/13802/randolph-martin-hammock/) - [General Order for Assignment of Personal Injury Cases](https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSCivil-119-GeneralOrderReAssignmentandTransferofPersonalInjuryCases%28EffectiveMay17%2C2024%29.pdf) - [Stanley Mosk Courthouse Department Renumbering](https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/pages/lp/courthouse-department-renumbering) - [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) - [Los Angeles Superior Court Digital Evidence System](https://www.lacourt.org/digitalevidence/) - [Second Amended Standing Order re Evidence Exchange, 2024-SJ-006-00](https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSSmallClaims-21-2024-SJ-006-00-2ndAmendedStandingOrderReEvidenceExchange.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/13802/randolph-martin-hammock/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randolph-m-hammock", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randolph-m-hammock", "name": "Randolph M. 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[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.