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33 rules
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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.
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.
Time periods under the California Rules of Court are computed by excluding the first day and including the last; if the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or other legal holiday it is excluded and the period runs to the next day that is not a holiday. Unless otherwise provided by law, the court may extend or shorten the time within which a party must perform any act under the rules.
Each ground of demurrer must be stated in a separate paragraph; a demurrer must be served and filed with a notice of hearing set under Code of Civil Procedure section 1005, for a hearing not more than 35 days after filing or on the first date available thereafter; following a ruling, leave to answer or amend within 10 days is deemed granted (5 calendar days in unlawful detainer and forcible entry or detainer cases), and the defendant has 10 days to answer or otherwise plead after the demurrer is overruled, the time to amend expires, or the demurrer is sustained without leave to amend.
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.
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.
A party seeking an ex parte order must notify all parties no later than 10:00 a.m. the court day before the ex parte appearance, absent a showing of exceptional circumstances that justify shorter notice; in an unlawful detainer proceeding shorter notice is permitted if the notice given is reasonable.
Moving and supporting papers are served and filed under Code of Civil Procedure section 1005 and the electronic filing and service statutes and rules; the court may shorten time on a showing of good cause; proof of service of the moving papers must be filed no later than five court days before the hearing; no paper may be rejected for filing as untimely, though the court may refuse to consider it; a paper submitted before the clerk's office closes on its due date is timely, and a court may provide by local rule that an electronically filed paper received before midnight on a court day is filed that day.
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 'local rule' is every rule, regulation, order, policy, form or standard of general application adopted by a court to govern practice or procedure in that court, or by a judge to govern practice or procedure in that judge's courtroom; each court must make its local rules available for inspection and copying at every location that accepts filings, publish them through an official publisher, and file them electronically with the Judicial Council 45 days before the January 1 or July 1 effective date with a certificate stating, among other things, whether the court posts its local rules on its website; proposed rules other than calendaring rules must be distributed for comment at least 45 days before adoption; courts must periodically repeal outdated or inconsistent rules; and a rule may take effect on another date only with the Judicial Council chair's authorization.
Unless a statute or rules 8.108, 8.702 or 8.712 provide otherwise, a notice of appeal must be filed by the earliest of 60 days after the superior court clerk serves a notice of entry of judgment or a filed-endorsed copy, 60 days after a party serves or is served with such a document with proof of service, or 180 days after entry of judgment; no court may extend the time except as rule 8.66 provides, and a late notice requires dismissal; the rule defines the entry date of judgments and appealable orders, treats a notice filed after rendition but before entry as filed on entry, and applies to appealable orders.
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 complaint must be served on all named defendants, with proofs of service filed, within 60 days after filing (30 days for a defendant added by amendment), and a cross-complaint adding new parties must be served with proofs filed within 30 days; the parties may stipulate to one 15-day extension of the 30-day response period; a request for entry of default must be filed within 10 days after the time to respond has elapsed and a default judgment obtained within 45 days after default is entered, or the court may issue an order to show cause regarding sanctions. Collections cases under rule 3.740(a), unlawful detainer actions and Family Code proceedings are excluded.
A summary judgment or summary adjudication motion must contain a notice of motion, a separate statement of undisputed material facts in the rule's two-column format with citations to exhibit, title, page and line numbers, a memorandum, supporting evidence and any request for judicial notice; summary adjudication must state the specific cause of action, affirmative defense, damages claim or duty issue in the notice and repeat it verbatim in the separate statement; the opposition consists of a memorandum, a responsive separate statement stating 'disputed' or 'undisputed' for each fact with the evidence for any dispute and any additional material facts, opposing evidence and any request for judicial notice; evidence exceeding 25 pages must be separately bound with a table of contents; and on request a party must provide an electronic version of its separate statement within three days. The rule's format illustrations in subdivision (h) are on the official page.