Pursuant to Rule 2.818(b)(1)(a), an attorney may not serve as a court-appointed temporary judge: (1) If the attorney, in any type of case, is appearing on the same day in the same courthouse as an attorney or as a party; (2) If the attorney, in the same type of case, is presently a party to any action or proceeding in the court; or (3) If, in a family law or unlawful detainer case, one party is self-represented and the other party is represented by an attorney or is an attorney.

Orange County temporary judge policy exception: Temporary judges and settlement officers in family law cases are exempt from rule 2.818(b)(3) of the California Rules of Court, and settlement officers who assist with settlement conferences, but who perform no judicial functions such as placing the settlement on the record, are exempt from rule 2.818(b)(1) and (b)(2).