ca-county-courts

California county superior courts (non-LA / non-SF)

Use this skill in addition to ca-statewide-format when filing in any California superior court other than Los Angeles or San Francisco Superior Courts.

California has 58 counties and 58 superior courts (one per county, consolidated under the Trial Court Unification Act of 1998). Each court has its own local rules, tentative-ruling practices, and eFiling systems. The nine courts below account for the second tier of case volume after Los Angeles and San Francisco.

County / venue table — California's most-populous counties (after LA and SF)

County	Population	Main courthouse / address	Web portal
San Diego	~3.3 M	Hall of Justice, 330 W. Broadway, San Diego 92101	sdcourt.ca.gov
Orange	~3.2 M	Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Dr. W., Santa Ana 92701	occourts.org
Riverside	~2.4 M	4100 Main St., Riverside 92501	riverside.courts.ca.gov
San Bernardino	~2.2 M	247 W. Third St., San Bernardino 92415	sb-court.org
Santa Clara	~1.9 M	Old Courthouse, 161 N. First St., San Jose 95113	scscourt.org
Alameda	~1.7 M	René C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon St., Oakland 94612	alameda.courts.ca.gov
Sacramento	~1.6 M	Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse, 720 9th St., Sacramento 95814	saccourt.ca.gov
Contra Costa	~1.2 M	A.F. Bray Courthouse, 1020 Ward St., Martinez 94553	cc-courts.org
Fresno	~1.0 M	B.F. Sisk Federal Building / Hall of Records, 1100 Van Ness Ave., Fresno 93724	fresnosuperiorcourt.org

Always verify current addresses and contacts at the court's website — courthouses move divisions between locations.

Caption — county variant

The court name line uses "COUNTY OF [NAME]":

              IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
                   COUNTY OF ORANGE

Case number formats vary by county (see per-county notes below).

eFiling systems

Unlike Oregon's uniform statewide File and Serve, California courts use a patchwork of eFiling vendors:

County	eFiling vendor	Portal
San Diego	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA)	sdcourt.ca.gov/efiling
Orange	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA)	occourts.org/online-services/
Riverside	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA)	riverside.courts.ca.gov
San Bernardino	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA) via eFileSB	efiling.sb-court.org
Santa Clara	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA)	scscourt.org/online-services/
Alameda	File & ServeXpress	fileandservexpress.com
Sacramento	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA)	saccourt.ca.gov/efiling
Contra Costa	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA)	cc-courts.org
Fresno	Tyler (Odyssey eFileCA)	fresnosuperiorcourt.org

All accept PDF only; file-size limits typically 10-25 MB per document. For self-represented filers: eFiling is generally voluntary (courts accept paper at the clerk's counter during business hours), but represented parties in civil cases are typically required to eFile.

Tentative rulings

All nine courts below use a tentative-ruling system for most civil law-and-motion matters under Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1308(a)(1). The statewide rule: tentatives posted by 2:00-4:00 p.m. the court day before the hearing; contest by calling the department by 4:00 p.m.; if uncontested, the tentative becomes the order without a hearing.

Per-court posting time and contest window — check the local rules of each court; the statewide rule 3.1308 sets the floor.

Per-county notes

San Diego County Superior Court

• Largest court outside Los Angeles; serves 3.3 million residents
• Main civil courthouse: Central Courthouse, 1100 Union St., San Diego 92101 (opened 2017; replaced the old Hall of Justice civil departments). The Hall of Justice (330 W. Broadway) retains criminal and some civil departments
• Civil Division clerk: (619) 450-7060
• eFiling: Tyler Odyssey eFileCA via https://sdcourt.ca.gov/efiling/; mandatory for represented parties in unlimited civil
• Case numbers: 37-YYYY-NNNNNNN-CU-[type]-CTL (unlimited civil, Central); YYYY-NNNNNN-CL (limited civil)
• Tentative rulings: posted by 1:30 p.m. day before hearing at https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/tentativerulingsearch/; contest by 4:00 p.m.
• Local rules: San Diego Superior Court Local Rules, posted at sdcourt.ca.gov — Department rules (standing orders) are posted per department
• ADR: Mandatory settlement conference before trial; voluntary mediation through the court's ADR office

Orange County Superior Court

• Main civil courthouse: Central Justice Center (CJC), 700 Civic Center Dr. W., Santa Ana 92701
• Other civil locations: North Justice Center (Fullerton), West Justice Center (Westminster), Lamoreaux Justice Center (Orange), Harbor Justice Center (Newport Beach / Laguna Niguel)
• Civil Division: (657) 622-5300
• eFiling: Tyler Odyssey eFileCA via https://www.occourts.org/online-services/; mandatory for unlimited civil represented parties
• Case numbers: 30-YYYY-NNNNNNN-CU-[type]-CJC (unlimited, CJC); branch suffixes for other locations
• Tentative rulings: posted by 2:00 p.m. day before at https://www.occourts.org/tentativerulings/; contest by 4:00 p.m.
• Local rules: OCSC Local Rules at occourts.org/general-info/
• Complex civil: Dept. CX at CJC handles complex civil cases

Riverside County Superior Court

• Main courthouse: 4100 Main St., Riverside 92501 (Riverside Historic Courthouse; newer Civil Complex Center nearby)
• Branch locations: Murrieta (Southwest Justice Center), Blythe, Indio (Indio Justice Center), Hemet (Hemet Courthouse)
• Civil clerk: (951) 777-3147
• eFiling: Tyler Odyssey eFileCA via https://riverside.courts.ca.gov/online-services/efiling/
• Tentative rulings: posted on court website; confirm specific department practice for contest deadline
• Local rules: Riverside County Superior Court Local Rules at riverside.courts.ca.gov
• Note: Riverside is geographically large; case filing location depends on where the cause of action arose or where the defendant resides (Code Civ. Proc., § 395)

San Bernardino County Superior Court

• Main courthouse: 247 W. Third St., San Bernardino 92415 (Halls of Justice and Civil Courthouse)
• Branch locations: Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville (High Desert), Big Bear Lake, Joshua Tree, Barstow
• Civil clerk: (909) 708-8678
• eFiling: Tyler eFileCA via https://efiling.sb-court.org/; mandatory for represented parties in unlimited civil
• Case numbers: CIVDS prefix for unlimited civil at the main courthouse (e.g., CIVDS2412345); branch suffixes vary (CIVRS = Rancho Cucamonga; CIVVS = Victorville)
• Tentative rulings: posted by 3:00 p.m. day before at sb-court.org; check specific department
• Local rules: San Bernardino County Superior Court Local Rules at sb-court.org/civil/

Santa Clara County Superior Court

• Main courthouse: Old Courthouse, 161 N. First St., San Jose 95113 (civil law and motion, probate); also Downtown Superior Court, 191 N. First St. (general civil)
• Civil clerk: (408) 882-2100
• eFiling: Tyler Odyssey eFileCA via https://www.scscourt.org/online-services/efiling/
• Case numbers: YYYY-CV-NNNNNN (general civil)
• Tentative rulings: posted on scscourt.org; Dept. 1 and other civil law-and-motion departments post tentatives by 2:00 p.m. day before; contest by 4:00 p.m.
• Local rules: Santa Clara County Superior Court Local Rules at scscourt.org/general-info/local-rules/
• Complex civil: Complex Civil Litigation Center, 191 N. First St.

Alameda County Superior Court

• Main courthouse: René C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon St., Oakland 94612 (unlimited civil, probate, family)
• Also: George E. McDonald Hall of Justice (Hayward), 24405 Amador St., Hayward 94544 (civil); Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse (Oakland; criminal and some civil)
• Civil clerk: (510) 267-6930 (René C. Davidson)
• eFiling: File & ServeXpress — different from most other California counties; portal: https://www.fileandservexpress.com/; account required; mandatory for unlimited civil represented parties
• Case numbers: RG prefix (René C. Davidson, general civil, e.g., RG24123456); HG prefix (Hayward)
• Tentative rulings: posted on alameda.courts.ca.gov; Dept. 1 (law and motion) posts tentatives by 1:30 p.m. day before; contest by 4:00 p.m. to Dept. 1 clerk
• Local rules: Alameda County Superior Court Local Rules at alameda.courts.ca.gov/rules/
• ADR: Alameda has a robust ADR program — early mediation is strongly encouraged at the first CMC

Sacramento County Superior Court

• Main courthouse: Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse, 720 9th St., Sacramento 95814 (civil, probate, family)
• Also: William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse (family law); Juvenile Court
• Civil clerk: (916) 874-5522
• eFiling: Tyler Odyssey eFileCA via https://saccourt.ca.gov/general-info/online-filing.aspx
• Case numbers: 34-YYYY-NNNNNNN-CU (unlimited civil)
• Tentative rulings: posted at saccourt.ca.gov; check department-specific practice; most civil departments post tentatives by 2:00 p.m. day before
• Local rules: Sacramento County Superior Court Local Rules at saccourt.ca.gov/local-rules/
• Note: Sacramento is the state capital — significant administrative-law and state-agency civil filings; the Government Claims Act (Gov. Code, § 900 et seq.) and Tort Claims Act filings are common here

Contra Costa County Superior Court

• Main courthouse: A.F. Bray Courthouse, 1020 Ward St., Martinez 94553 (unlimited civil, probate)
• Also: Pittsburg (Wakefield Taylor Courthouse), Richmond (Richmond Justice Center)
• Civil clerk: (925) 608-1000
• eFiling: Tyler Odyssey eFileCA via https://www.cc-courts.org/online-services/efiling/
• Case numbers: C prefix for civil in Martinez (e.g., C24-12345)
• Tentative rulings: posted at cc-courts.org; check department — Dept. 5 handles law and motion; tentatives posted by 2:00 p.m. day before; contest by 4:00 p.m.
• Local rules: Contra Costa County Superior Court Local Rules at cc-courts.org/general-info/

Fresno County Superior Court

• Main courthouse: B.F. Sisk Federal Building / Hall of Records area, 1100 Van Ness Ave., Fresno 93724
• Civil clerk: (559) 457-2000
• eFiling: Tyler Odyssey eFileCA via https://www.fresnosuperiorcourt.org/e-filing/
• Case numbers: YYCECG (general civil, e.g., 24CECG01234)
• Tentative rulings: posted at fresnosuperiorcourt.org; check specific department for posting time and contest method
• Local rules: Fresno County Superior Court Local Rules at fresnosuperiorcourt.org

Case-number cheat sheet

County	Unlimited civil prefix	Example
San Diego	37-YYYY-NNNNNNN-CU-	37-2024-00012345-CU-BC-CTL
Orange	30-YYYY-NNNNNNN-CU-	30-2024-01234567-CU-OR-CJC
Riverside	YYYYCVNNNNNN	2024CV00012345
San Bernardino	CIVDS / CIVRS / CIVVS	CIVDS2412345
Santa Clara	YYYY-CV-NNNNNN	2024-CV-123456
Alameda	RG + year + seq.	RG24123456
Sacramento	34-YYYY-NNNNNNN-CU	34-2024-00012345-CU-OR
Contra Costa	C + year + seq.	C24-012345
Fresno	YYCECG + seq.	24CECG01234

Always verify the case number on the court's case portal before filing — formats can vary within a county by filing location and case type.

Statewide civil motion notice requirements

All California superior courts follow Code Civ. Proc., § 1005(b):

• 16 court days' notice for most civil motions filed in unlimited civil
• Add 5 calendar days if service is by first-class mail
• Add 2 court days if service is by overnight courier
• No addition for electronic or personal service
• 75-day notice for motions for summary judgment (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c(a)); opposition due 14 days before hearing; reply due 5 days before

Court days = all days except Saturdays, Sundays, and judicial holidays listed in Code Civ. Proc., § 135.

Filing fees — statewide schedule

All California superior courts follow the Government Code fee schedule (Gov. Code, §§ 70600-70679). Current filing fees:

• Complaint (unlimited civil, first paper): $435 (Gov. Code, § 70611)
• Complaint (limited civil, over $10,000): $225
• Answer (first paper): same as complaint — $435 or $225 (Gov. Code, § 70612)
• Motion (unlimited civil): $60 (Gov. Code, § 70617)
• Summary judgment motion: $500 (Gov. Code, § 70617(e))
• Demurrer: $60

Fee waiver: Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.50-3.63; Judicial Council form FW-001.

Fees are adjusted annually; pull current amounts from: https://www.courts.ca.gov/forms.htm (filter "fees") or the specific court's website.

Document set (typical for any California county)

1. Notice of Motion and Motion (with date, time, dept., judge, and reservation number if applicable)
2. Memorandum of Points and Authorities (may be combined with motion or filed separately)
3. Supporting Declaration(s) with exhibits
4. Proposed Order ("[PROPOSED] ORDER" as title)
5. Separate Statement (required for discovery motions — CRC 3.1345)
6. Proof of Service (POS-030 or declaration of service)

The timing of the reservation (before or at filing) and the contest deadline for tentatives varies by county — check the local rules for the specific court.

Scheduling tip — confirm department practices

Every California superior court department has its own preferences and standing orders. Before filing any motion:

1. Check the court's website for the assigned department's standing orders
2. Confirm whether the department uses a centralized reservation system (like LASC's CRS) or accepts direct calls to the clerk's counter
3. Download the department's standing order if posted — many judges post preferred format requirements, briefing-schedule variations, and courtesy-copy requirements

References

• references/county-courts-directory.md — full directory of all 9 counties above: courthouse addresses, web portals, civil-division contacts, case-number formats, eFiling systems
• references/filing-and-service.md — per-county eFiling systems, service rules, fee schedules, and pro se filing procedures

NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Generated content is a drafting aid; verify against current rules and case law before filing.