Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

You have to check the court you are in to see how they handle tentative rulings. In San Diego you can get the ruling at 4pm the day before at: http://www.sandiego.courts.ca.gov/v3tr/scsdrulings.aspx

A proposed order is submitted to the Court for ex parte motions, and often times on other mations. After the Court rules, sometimes the Court instructs one of the parties to prepare an Oder.

Many courts publish tentative rulings on their websites or on a phone line. If so, some of the courts require that a litigant notify the other side and the court that the tentative ruling will be contested. Otherwise, argument might not be permitted.

In any case, it appears that the court permitted you to argue. Often, the attorneys prepare in advance orders that favor their client's position. If the court rules in that party's favor, then the side with the correct order will submit it after showing it to the other side for approval as to form.

A motion to avenge you? Opposing counsel drafted the tentative ruling? It sounds like the cloud of mysterious smoke from Ocean Beach may have affected you a little too much.