Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Sometimes if a case is contentious and emotions are running high, a judge might take the decision under submission, and issue a written ruling to give the parties time to cool down (and not get into a tussle in the court hallway). Also, if a judge needs to review some of the law that applies to a case, the judge might defer decision. Remember that one side always loses. That's not to say that you lost (or won).

Courts that don't issue a ruling at the hearing usually mail the parties a written order. That order is almost always "negative news" for one of them.