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First Appellate District (Circuit 1) · official circuit site ✓
Preview of 25 instruments. All 20 county-scoped rules → search all three layers.
When a peremptory challenge under Code of Civil Procedure section 170.6 is filed against a judicial officer at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse, Judge Rozlynn Silvaggio (or, if she is unavailable or is the one challenged, Judge Scott Patton) may reassign the case to any available judicial officer at that courthouse. Rescinds General Directive 2026-26. Issued September 9, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
The clerk directs courtroom staff to operate electronic recording equipment in any department when the presiding judicial officer finds that a party wishes to have a verbatim transcript possible, no official court reporter is reasonably available, and the requesting party cannot secure a private reporter because of a reasonable inability to pay; the court may impose reasonable fees as the law permits, taking ability to pay into account. Replaces and rescinds General Directive 2026-24 in light of Family Violence Appellate Project v. Superior Court of Contra Costa County (Aug. 10, 2026). Issued September 9, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
Weapons security and health screening at the court's locations: entry through the security check points, with weapons screening and searches of persons and belongings; who may enter without screening; denial of entry to anyone carrying a weapon or wearing soft body armor, except peace officers on official court business (as defined) and judges with concealed-carry permits; the attached Prohibited Items list; the Sheriff's operational control; and guidance for persons with COVID-19 or similar symptoms. Issued July 9, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
Title 8 of the court's local rules (effective July 1, 2026; rules 8.1–8.150): the Appellate Division's rules — dismissal on failure to file an opening brief, the record on appeal in traffic matters, briefs, motions and court reporters.
Title 7 of the court's local rules (effective July 1, 2026; rules 7.1–7.895): electronic filing and service, special settings, pre-grant procedures and ADR; ex parte applications; pleadings (wills, title documents, community property allegations, conservator disclosures, compromises, bonds); sales of property in decedents' estates; accounts, decrees and extraordinary compensation; trusts; guardianships; and conservatorships (hearings, general plans, counsel, investigator fees, reports, status reports, bonds and private professional conservators).
Title 6 of the court's local rules (effective July 1, 2026; rules 6.1–6.3): the title and application of the mental health rules, and electronic filing and service in mental health cases.
Title 5 of the court's local rules (effective July 1, 2026; rules 5.1–5.557). Division 1, family rules: the family law facilitator, remote appearances, electronic filing and service, emergency (ex parte) applications, status conferences, supervised visitation, settlement conferences and trials, motions and continuances, the spousal and partner support guideline, marital settlement agreements and judgments, earning assignments, child custody recommending counseling and evaluation, complaints about minors' counsel, private mediation, Title IV-D commissioners and sanctions. Division 2, juvenile rules: administration, reports, calendaring and attendance, discovery, ex parte requests, CASA, information sharing and record access, dependency mediation, attorney competency and complaints, foster-parent authorizations and disclosures, section 388 petitions and related dependency procedures.
Title 4 of the court's local rules (effective July 1, 2026; rules 4.1–4.350): organization, uniform bail schedules, special circumstances cases, withdrawal of time waivers, petitions to revoke supervision, exhibits posing security problems and CALICO recordings; and traffic rules — transfer to the county seat, trial by declaration (including in absentia), continuances, personal appearance at trial, reopening cases adjudicated by bail forfeiture, and ability-to-pay determinations.
Title 3 of the court's local rules (effective July 1, 2026; rules 3.1–3.800): rules for all civil cases (designation, case management conferences, notice of death, electronic filing and service, law and motion, discovery, standing pretrial orders, reasonable-diligence findings, defaults, costs and fees, court reporters, return of exhibits); assignment of limited and unlimited cases to judges; complex, asbestos and silica cases; and other special case types — CEQA and administrative mandamus records and briefing, petitions to compel or confirm arbitration, unlawful detainers, and alternative dispute resolution.
Title 1 of the court's local rules (effective July 1, 2026; rules 1.1–2.0): citation, construction and effective date of the rules; definitions; judges' vacation days; photographing, recording, broadcasting and electronic devices in courthouses, and remote media access; prohibited activities around courthouses; facsimile filing; filing documents in civil, family law, probate, False Claims Act and CARE Act cases; jury panels and questionnaires; inter-court communication; failure to comply; electronic filing in criminal and juvenile cases; remote proceedings; and the policy against bias.
Appendix C to the court's local rules: fee guidelines for the Public Guardian, County Counsel and Public Defender in conservatorship (probate and LPS) and guardianship matters — a schedule by size of estate, case set-up and investigation claims, sales of property, estates with non-liquid assets, extraordinary legal services, and final accounts where the conservatee or ward is deceased.
Appendix B to the court's local rules: attorney fees considered reasonable in civil actions where fees are not otherwise set by law — a schedule for uncontested actions on notes, contracts and book accounts, claims of minors or incompetent persons, unlawful detainers, extraordinary fees, judicial discretion and clerk's judgments.
All criminal writs are assigned to Judge Michael Risher; when he is unavailable, to Judges Thomas Stevens, Clifford Blakely, Thomas Reardon and/or Stuart Hing. Rescinds General Directive 2026-22A. Issued March 23, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
Because of its court reporter shortage, the court no longer provides reporters in family law cases; parties may provide their own (see Local Rule 3.95), and if a party cannot afford a reporter or none is available, the court may make the findings described in General Directive 2026-24 and use a recording device consistent with that directive. Issued January 27, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
Subordinate judicial officers and temporary judges may review and adjudicate certain ex parte matters, including applications for civil harassment, domestic violence, elder abuse, workplace violence and gun violence temporary restraining orders, default judgments in unlawful detainer and collections matters, service of summons by posting and stays in unlawful detainer matters, orders of publication, and requests to waive court fees. Issued January 1, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
All civil administrative writs are assigned for adjudication to Judges Michael Markman, Jenna Whitman, Karin Schwartz or Rebekah Evenson. Issued January 1, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
Actions and proceedings under Public Resources Code sections 21167, 21168 and 21168.5 (CEQA) are heard by the judges designated under section 21167.1(b): Judges Michael Markman, Jenna Whitman, Karin Schwartz and Rebekah Evenson. Issued January 1, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
Where court fees and costs were initially waived, the clerk may refuse to enter a full satisfaction of judgment until an order to pay the waived fees and costs is satisfied (Government Code section 68637(b)(1)), and may refuse to enter a dismissal in a civil case while the party owes the court a lien on a recovery of $10,000 or more, until the lien is paid or the court orders otherwise (section 68637(c)(4)); a party may ask to appear before a judicial officer. Issued January 1, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
In processing a Notice on Hearing About Court Fees (Judicial Council form FW-007), the clerk may issue a notice granting the hearing, a notice denying it if the request was not filed within ten days after notice of the fee waiver denial (Government Code section 68634(g)), or a notice denying it if no request to waive fees has been denied. Issued January 1, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
The clerk may grant initial fee waiver applications that meet Government Code sections 68632(a), 68632(b) and 68633, but may not deny one, set an eligibility hearing or partially grant it, and may not waive the additional fees and costs of California Rules of Court, rule 3.56; the clerk processes inmates' fee waiver requests under Government Code section 68635(g). Issued January 1, 2026; expires December 31, 2026.
A court may permit, or require, parties to file documents electronically in civil actions by local rule under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6, specifying the case types covered; self-represented parties are exempt from mandatory electronic filing and service and, in mixed cases, file, serve and are served by non-electronic means unless they agree otherwise; a party required to e-file must be excused on a showing of undue hardship or significant prejudice through a process the court must provide; fees must be consistent with section 1010.6, and the effective date of filing is as section 1010.6 prescribes. A court that permits e-filing may also order all parties in a class, consolidated, coordinated or complex action to file electronically.
The court must set an initial case management conference in each case, with notice to all parties no later than 45 days before it unless the court orders otherwise; counsel and self-represented parties must appear in person or remotely as rule 3.672 provides, be familiar with the case and be prepared to commit to positions on the issues in rules 3.724 and 3.727; the court may issue a case management order without appearances, and by local rule may excuse attendance at initial conferences in limited civil cases.
A document that may be served by mail, express mail, overnight delivery or fax may be served electronically under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6; a party consents by serving and filing a notice with its electronic service address or by affirmative consent through the court's electronic filing system or service provider (form EFS-005-CV); a court may require electronic service by local rule or order, and a party required to file electronically must also serve and accept service electronically except as to parties, including self-represented parties, who are not required to; parties must promptly notify the court and all parties of a change of electronic service address; service is complete as section 1010.6 provides (on transmission or notification when a provider is used); proof of electronic service is made under section 1013b, and proof of service of moving papers must be filed at least five court days before the hearing.
When a court receives an electronically submitted document it must promptly send the filer confirmation of receipt with the date and time, and a document is received when that confirmation is created; if the document complies with filing requirements and the fees are paid, the court must promptly confirm filing with the date and time, any transaction number, the titles as filed and the fees assessed; absent the court's confirmation there is no presumption of receipt or filing, and the filer is responsible for verifying; a rejection notice must state its reasons; and when a technical problem with the court's electronic filing system prevents acceptance on a court day, a document the filer shows was attempted that day is deemed filed that day, except for a complaint or other initial pleading.
The case management rules govern all applicable civil cases; a court may by local rule exempt specified types or categories of general civil cases if it has alternative case-processing and trial-setting procedures, which must be included in its local rules; wherever a court sets an initial case management conference, the rules apply.