California court holidays and year-end filing deadlines: A 2026–27 guide for legal staff

California courts close for five judicial holidays between now and the new year: Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11), Thanksgiving and the day after (November 26–27), Christmas (Friday, December 25), and New Year’s Day (Friday, January 1, 2027). You can still eFile on those days, but anything received is deemed filed on the next court day. A deadline that lands on a holiday generally moves to the next court day. A deadline counted backward from a hearing moves earlier.

Here’s the calendar, how each rule works, and how to plan filings so the holidays don’t catch your team short.

Which days are California courts closed between now and January?

These are the judicial holidays on the Judicial Branch of California’s court holiday schedule, with the day an eFiling submitted on each one counts as filed.

December 24 and December 31 are not judicial holidays this year, so courts are open on both days. Some courts may announce early closures or reduced hours around the holidays, so check the local court’s website before you plan a counter visit.

Can I still eFile on a court holiday?

Yes, but it won’t count as filed that day. Under CCP § 1010.6(b)(3), a document received electronically on a court day by 11:59:59 p.m. is deemed filed that day. A document received on a weekend or court holiday is deemed filed on the next court day.

The other catch is review. Clerks don’t work holidays, so a filing submitted on Friday, November 27 may not be reviewed until Monday, November 30 or later. If it's rejected, you may need to correct and resubmit the filing, which could affect the filing date. A filing submitted over a long holiday weekend can come back rejected days later, with less time left to fix it.

What happens when a deadline falls on a court holiday?

It generally moves to the next court day. Under CCP § 12a, if the last day to file or serve something falls on a holiday, the period extends to the next day that isn’t a holiday. For this purpose, Saturdays and Sundays count as holidays too. Judicial holidays are listed in CCP § 135.

For example, if a 30-day deadline lands on Friday, November 27, it carries over the weekend to Monday, November 30.

Don’t treat that extension as automatic for everything. Some deadlines are set by court order, local rule, or a statute with its own counting rule. When in doubt, file on the earlier date.

How do holidays affect deadlines counted backward from a hearing?

This is where holidays cost you time instead of buying it. Many motion deadlines are counted in court days before a hearing, and court days skip weekends and holidays. Every holiday in the count pushes your deadline earlier.

Take a motion set for hearing on Monday, November 30. Under CCP § 1005(b), opposition papers are due at least nine court days before the hearing. Without the holidays, that would be Tuesday, November 17. Because Thanksgiving and the day after aren’t court days, the opposition is actually due Friday, November 13, four calendar days earlier.

How do holidays affect electronic service?

Service runs on its own clock. Under CCP § 1010.6, a document e-served on a court holiday, or after 5:00 p.m. on a court day, is deemed served on the next court day. Electronic service also generally extends the time to respond by two court days, and those court days skip holidays too.

So a document e-served at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25 counts as served on Monday, November 30. Any response period runs from that date, plus the two extra court days. Calendar response dates from the deemed service date, not the day the email arrived.

Are federal courts closed on the same days?

Mostly, but not on the day after Thanksgiving. It’s a California judicial holiday, not a federal one, so federal courts in California are open on Friday, November 27. Federal deadlines follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, not the California Code of Civil Procedure, so check each case’s rules separately.

How can I get ahead of the year-end rush?

• Recount court days now for every hearing between mid-November and early January, skipping each holiday in the table
• Submit filings due the week of Thanksgiving by early afternoon on Wednesday, November 25, so a rejection can come back before the four-day closure
• Do the same before Christmas and New Year’s, when both holidays fall on Fridays and turn into three-day weekends
• Calendar e-service response dates from the deemed service date, adding two court days and skipping holidays
• Check local court websites for early closures or reduced hours, especially on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31
• Route bulk or complex year-end filings through Concierge so a specialist reviews them before they go out

Planning for January, too? California’s SPARE Act (AB 747) changes how service of process is performed and documented starting January 1, 2027. See The SPARE Act (AB 747) Compliance Checklist.

For the full filing-day workflow, see The Paralegal’s Guide to Same-Day, Error-Free Court Filing.

Frequently asked questions

Are California courts closed the day after Thanksgiving?

Yes. The day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 27, 2026, is a California judicial holiday. Federal courts are open that day.

Are California courts open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 2026?

Yes. December 24 and December 31 aren’t judicial holidays in 2026, though individual courts may announce early closures.

If I eFile on a court holiday, when is it filed?

On the next court day. Under CCP § 1010.6(b)(3), documents received electronically on a court holiday are deemed filed on the next court day.

What if my filing deadline falls on a court holiday?

Under CCP § 12a, the deadline generally extends to the next court day. Deadlines counted backward from a hearing work the other way: holidays are skipped in the count, which moves the deadline earlier.

Filing heavy before the holidays? Choose Concierge on your next One Legal order and get a specialist review before it reaches the clerk. 

Want to see how Concierge works first? Request a Concierge demo and your account owner will walk you through it.

This article is for general informational purposes and isn’t legal advice. Court holidays, local hours, and deadline rules can change. Always confirm with the applicable court and rules before filing.