2024 California Rules of Court
Rule 8.802. Construction
(a) Construction
The rules in this division must be construed to ensure that the proceedings they govern will be justly and speedily determined.
(b) Terminology
As used in this division:
(1) "Must" is mandatory;
(2) "May" is permissive;
(3) "May not" means is not permitted to;
(4) "Will" expresses a future contingency or predicts action by a court or person in the ordinary course of events, but does not signify a mandatory duty; and
(5) "Should" expresses a preference or a nonbinding recommendation.
(c) Construction of additional terms
In the rules:
(1) Each tense (past, present, or future) includes the others;
(2) Each gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) includes the others;
(3) Each number (singular or plural) includes the other; and
(4) The headings of divisions, chapters, articles, rules, and subdivisions are substantive.
Rule 8.802 adopted effective January 1, 2009.