The world of California courts is constantly shifting, now more than ever before. In an effort to highlight significant updates, One Legal will be compiling the biggest changes in court operations and messaging from the past week to help us all keep up.
For a full list of all 58 California courts and more information about their known status, visit our California courts updates page on the Support Center.
Please note: All resources shared by One Legal are intended as high-level summaries only. For a full picture of each court’s response to the challenges of COVID-19, please visit the individual court website.
Service of process
You can continue to request service of process through One Legal and our network of process servers continue to make attempts throughout the U.S.
California’s shelter-in-place order specifically exempts “Professional services, such as legal or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities and critical sector services,” which includes process serving.
Court updates this week
As courts work hard to determine a way to bring the full justice system back online, here are the courts that have updated their messaging in a significant way, shared plans to increase access, or established new protocols for filing and beyond.
Read updates from the week of May 22>>
Read updates from the week of May 15>>
Read updates from the week of May 8>>
Del Norte County
The Clerk’s office will be open to the public starting June 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Social distancing standards will be in place and access will be limited to two people at a time.
El Dorado County
The Family Law division released an update on plans to resume hearings using remote technology.
Additional Administrative Orders from May 28 included modifications for Juvenile Dependency and Delinquency cases.
Lassen County
The Court posted updates via a General Order updating court hours and opening clerks’ offices between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dropbox is still recommended for filing. Guidelines for courthouse entry and around procedures for certain case types is also included.
Marin County
Effective June 1, clerk’s offices will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until further notice and the number of people allowed inside at one time will be limited. Court proceedings will resume and be conducted remotely by video conference.
Monterey County
In an interim order posted May 26 provided updates on the Court’s procedures. Civil, Family, and Probate jury trials will resume in mid-June and filers are reminded to file electronically.
Nevada County
The Court has posted new Local Rules, effective June 1, 2020.
Orange County
The Court re-opened for limited service on May 26. The clerks have already begun to process filings gradually in priority order as determined by the Court.
Note: Your filing will remain in the status “Under Court Clerk Review” until the clerk has processed it. We appreciate your patience, as we anticipate it may take a week or more for the Court to process their backlog of filings.
Riverside County
The Court announced new court closure dates for certain courthouses extending into June, plus limited access to the public for others.
Sacramento County
The Court announced that jury trials would resume on June 15 as part of its phased reopening and established guidelines for people entering Court facilities.
San Bernadino County
Amended Local Rules went into effect May 21 to make use of available technology whenever possible to conduct judicial proceedings and court operations remotely.
Additionally, a General Order requires all documents except those listed in the Order to be filed using courthouse dropboxes, by mail, facsimile, or other online method. This is in effect from May 29 through November 30, 2020.
San Diego County
The Court re-opened for limited service on May 26. The clerks have already begun to process filings gradually in priority order as determined by the Court.
Note: Your filing will remain in the status “Under Court Clerk Review” until the clerk has processed it. We appreciate your patience, as we anticipate it may take a week or more for the Court to process their backlog of filings.
May 22nd – A General Order confirmed permissive eFiling for Family Law case types and outlined plans to image all Family Law cases. Read the General Order>>
May 22nd – A General Order established guidelines restricting access to all courthouses and courtrooms to certain authorized persons. Read the General Order>>
May 26th – A General Order suspended Local Rule 5.2.5 and 2.5.8 (regarding telephonic appearances) until further notice. Read the General Order>>
May 27th – A General Order Updated deadlines for certain filings and criminal justice cases. Read the General Order>>
San Francisco County
The Court announced that it will restore certain services as of June 1 and outlined steps to determine hearing dates and more for each case type. The Clerk’s office will be open with limited hours.
San Joaquin County
The Court partially reopened today and resumed operations. Clerks’ offices remain closed to the public and drop boxes are available outside the Stockton Courthouse. Only those with court business will be allowed into the building and everyone will have their temperature taken. Jury trials will resume in June.
San Mateo County
eFiling will become mandatory in all case types on June 1, 2020.
Review local eFiling requirements>>
Santa Clara County
The Family Law division has adopted a new local rule as of May 26, allowing hearings on a Request for Order to be waived in certain circumstances.
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