Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1150 · Article 3. Injunctions
Preliminary injunctions and bonds
Text — As posted by the Judicial Council of California (read October 22, 2026)
(a) Manner of application and service
A party requesting a preliminary injunction may give notice of the request to the opposing or responding party either by serving a noticed motion under Code of Civil Procedure section 1005 or by obtaining and serving an order to show cause (OSC). An OSC must be used when a temporary restraining order (TRO) is sought, or if the party against whom the preliminary injunction is sought has not appeared in the action. If the responding party has not appeared, the OSC must be served in the same manner as a summons and complaint.
(b) Filing of complaint or obtaining of court file
If the action is initiated the same day a TRO or an OSC is sought, the complaint must be filed first. The moving party must provide a file-stamped copy of the complaint to the judge who will hear the application. If an application for a TRO or an OSC is made in an existing case, the moving party must request that the court file be made available to the judge hearing the application.
(c) Form of OSC and TRO
The OSC and TRO must be stated separately, with the OSC stated first. The restraining language sought in an OSC and a TRO must be separately stated in the OSC and the TRO and may not be incorporated by reference. The OSC must describe the injunction to be sought at the hearing. The TRO must describe the activities to be enjoined pending the hearing. A proposed OSC must contain blank spaces for the time and manner of service on responding parties, the date on which the proof of service must be delivered to the court hearing the OSC, a briefing schedule, and, if applicable, the expiration date of the TRO.
(d) Personal attendance
The moving party or counsel for the moving party must be personally present when the request for a TRO is made.
(e) Previous applications
An application for a TRO or an OSC must state whether there has been any previous application for similar relief and, if so, the result of the application.
(f) Undertaking
Notwithstanding rule 3.1312, whenever an application for a preliminary injunction is granted, a proposed order must be presented to the judge for signature, with an undertaking in the amount ordered, within one court day after the granting of the application or within the time ordered. Unless otherwise ordered, any restraining order previously granted remains in effect during the time allowed for presentation for signature of the order of injunction and undertaking. If the proposed order and the undertaking required are not presented within the time allowed, the TRO may be vacated without notice. All bonds and undertakings must comply with rule 3.1130.
(g) Ex parte temporary restraining orders
Applications for ex parte temporary restraining orders are governed by the ex parte rules in chapter 4 of this division.
Notes and commentary — not rule text
History
(Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted effective July 1, 1997; previously amended effective July 1, 1999.)
(Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted effective July 1, 1997; previously amended effective July 1, 1999.)
(Subd (c) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted effective July 1, 1997; previously amended effective July 1, 1999.)
(Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted as subd (e) effective July 1, 1997; amended as [Proof of service] effective July 1, 1999; previously relettered effective July 1, 1999.)
(Subd (e) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted as subd (f) effective July 1, 1997; previously amended and relettered effective July 1, 1999.)
(Subd (f) amended effective January 1, 2007; previously amended and relettered effective July 1, 1997.)
(Subd (g) amended effective January 1, 2007; adopted effective July 1, 1999.)
Rule 3.1150 amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007; adopted as rule 359 effective January 1, 1984; previously amended effective July 1, 1997, and July 1, 1999.
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/three/rule3_1150
- Text hash
- sha256 d3ac6a6864012d93ac266d3e25b1070c941c2716356fa7cc4b03798c2564c391
- 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
This rule cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
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.