Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.21 · Chapter 3. Service and Filing
Service
Text — As posted by the Judicial Council of California (read October 22, 2026)
(a) Service on a party or attorney
Whenever a document is required to be served on a party, the service must be made on the party's attorney if the party is represented.
(b) "Serve and file"
As used in these rules, unless a statute or rule provides for a different method for filing or service, a requirement to "serve and file" a document means that a copy of the document must be served on the attorney for each party separately represented, on each self-represented party, and on any other person or entity when required by statute, rule, or court order, and that the document and a proof of service of the document must be filed with the court.
(c) "Proof of service"
As used in these rules, "proof of service" means a declaration stating that service has been made as provided in (a) and (b). If the proof of service names attorneys for separately represented parties, it must also state which party or parties each of the attorneys served is representing.
Notes and commentary — not rule text
History
(Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(Subd (c) adopted effective January 1, 2007.)
Rule 1.21 amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted effective January 1, 2007.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As posted by the Judicial Council of California (read October 22, 2026)
- Official file
- https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/one/rule1_21
- Text hash
- sha256 8c0b4c221b8310ed34b37a125c0bf32c1e7e8617aadcd07d13a919e6a68b4e65
- Composed by
- compose_crc.py 2026-10-22: the Judicial Council's rule pages read paragraph by paragraph; verify_crc.py's second reading of the Council's per-title PDFs finds every paragraph
Cited by 3 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.21. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.