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Filing Instructions and Procedures

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Acceptance of Credit Cards for Civil Fees

Effective Monday, May 15, 2023, the Civil Division will discontinue using the Credit Card Authorization Form (CV/E-201) to pay civil filing fees and certified copies. Credit card transactions for payment of fees and certified copies will be limited to in-person front counter filings and transactions as identified on the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse Civil Filing Guidelines and Hall of Justice Civil Law and Motion Filing Guidelines. There will be no extra processing fee for using a credit card for payment.

Payments for the following fees will not be accepted via credit card: Reporters Transcript deposit, jury fees, Court Reporter fees, and Undertaking deposit. These fees must be paid by check or cashier’s check.

Payment for filings made via mail or the drop box must be made by check or cashier’s check. Cash is not accepted via mail or the drop box.

Filing Court Papers (General Information)

For filing information regarding Small Claims matters, see the Small Claims page.

For filing information regarding Unlawful Detainer matters under $25,000, see the Landlord/Tenant page.

Filing Location

  • Civil Unit
    • 720 9th Street, Room 102, (1st Floor)
    • Civil Front Counter Filing Window(s) (General Civil and Presiding Judge Law and Motion, as applicable)
      • 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Civil Harassment Restraining Order Window
      • 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Gordon D. Schaber Civil Drop Boxes
      • 1st Floor Lobby, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
      • Room 102 Lobby, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
      • All documents placed in the drop box must be time-stamped on the back of the last page pursuant to Local Rule 1.16. If properly submitted before 5:00 p.m., the document will be deemed filed on the date of deposit. Any document submitted after 5:00 p.m. will be deemed filed the next Court business day. The depository is available for anyone seeking to file General Civil and Presiding Judge Law and Motion, as applicable, documents with the Court, but shall not be used to file documents that should be filed in a specific department or at the Hall of Justice Building, 813 6th Street, 2nd Floor.
  • Presiding Judge
    • 720 9th Street, 6th Floor
    • 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Law and Motion, Departments 53 and 54
    • 813 6th Street, 2nd Floor
    • Civil Law and Motion Filing Counter Window(s) (Room 212)
      • 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    • Civil Name and/or Gender Change Filing Counter Window (Room 212)
      • Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ONLY, specified window.
    • Public Service Lobby (Room 212)
      • 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
      • Civil Law and Motion Drop Box is located in the Public Service Lobby in Room 212. All documents placed in the drop box must be time-stamped on the back of the past page pursuant to Local Rule 1.16. If properly submitted before 5:00 p.m., the document will be deemed filed on the date of deposit. Any document submitted after 5:00 p.m. will be deemed filed the next Court business day. The depository is available for anyone seeking to file Law and Motion documents (Depts. 53 and 54 Only) with the Court, but shall not be used to file documents that should be filed in a specific department or at the Gordon D. Schaber County Courthouse (General Civil and Presiding Judge Law and Motion, as applicable).
  • Settlement Conference Service Center, Department 59
    • 813 6th Street, 1st Floor
    • 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Trial Departments
    • Various Locations
    • 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Filings may be made in person, sent by regular or priority mail, or placed in the designated drop box in accordance with the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse Civil Filing Guidelines and Hall of Justice Civil Law and Motion Filing Guidelines.

When papers are filed with the Court, please observe the following guidelines:

New Complaint, Petition or Appeal of the Labor Commissioner

Complaints, petitions, or appeals of the Labor Commissioner for Unlimited and Limited Civil cases excluding Small Claims and Limited Civil Unlawful Detainer cases should be filed in accordance with the Gordon D. Schaber Civil Document Filing Guidelines or Civil Law and Motion Document Filing Guidelines.

Complaints may be submitted on pleading paper and must be in conformance with California Rules of Court, rule 2.100- external link or on Judicial Council- external link forms. Petitions must be submitted on pleading paper. New complaints and petitions must be submitted with a Judicial Council Civil Case Cover Sheet form and appropriate filing fees or fee waiver. In addition, an appeal of the Labor Commissioner must include a copy of the order, decision, or award, a copy of the complaint and any answer filed with the Labor Commissioner, and a declaration of proof of service of the notice of appeal being sent to the Labor Commissioner pursuant to Local Rule 2.18. If the statute of limitations is approaching, it is recommended that the complaint or petition be filed in person or sent priority mail to ensure it is filed in a timely manner.

Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 3.221 - external link, in all general civil cases, the plaintiff must serve a copy of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) information package on each defendant together with the complaint. A Stipulation and Order to Mediation - Unlimited Civil (CV-E-179) must be served in addition to the ADR package on any Unlimited Civil Case.

Pursuant to Local Rule, 2.46(C), a copy of the Program Case Notice for Unlimited (CV\E-143U) shall be served with the summons and complaint on any Unlimited Civil Cases.

Additional information that is helpful after initiating a case:

Petition to Change a Name/Gender

If you are restoring your name after dissolution of marriage, please refer to Restoring Your Former Name for filing instructions.

Petition for Change of Name:

To petition the court to change a name of an adult for reasons other than dissolution of marriage or to change the name of a minor, please download the Petition for Change of Name Packet (CV/E-142-N).

Petition for Change of Name to Conform to Gender Identity:

To petition the court to change the name of an adult or minor to conform to gender identity, please download the Petition for Change of Name to Conform to Gender Identity (CV/E-142-NGC).

Petition for Change of Name with Recognition of Gender Change and Issuance of New Birth Certificate:

Confidential Safe at Home:

To petition the court for change of name under the Address Confidentiality Program (i.e. Safe at Home), please download the Petition for Change of Name Under the Address Confidentiality Program (Safe at Home) Packet (CV/E-142-S).

Assistance with Petition to Change Name/Gender

All completed documents should be submitted to the Hall of Justice Building, 813 6th Street, Room 212 (2nd Floor) Sacramento, CA 95814. Name/Gender change documents will only be accepted at the designated counter for filing Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ONLY, specified window.

Filing Court Papers on a Case Assigned to a Judge for all Purposes

When a case has been assigned to a judge for all purposes, all papers should be filed directly in the department according to the order of the court between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Answers and Responses

Answers and responses for Unlimited and Limited Civil cases excluding Limited Civil Unlawful Detainer cases may be mailed or dropped off at the Civil Unit at 720 9th Street, in Room 102. Answers can be submitted on pleading paper and must be in conformance with California Rules of Court, rule 2.100 - external link, or may be submitted on a Judicial Council - external link form. Defendants and respondents in Unlimited or Limited Civil cases have 30 days from the date of service of the summons and complaint to file an answer or response, along with appropriate filing fee or fee waiver, and proof of service pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 3.110(b) - external link , or a default judgment may be entered.

Request for Entry of Default / Default Judgment by Court or Clerk

Requests for entry of default or judgment by clerk or court may be mailed or dropped off at the Civil Unit at 720 9th Street, in Room 102. Requests for entry of default must be submitted on the Judicial Council form- external link, and clerk's judgments may be submitted on the Court's local form. Request for entry of default judgment by court may be submitted on the Court’s local form or on pleading paper.

Motions

Motions are submitted on pleading paper and must be in conformance with California Rules of Court, rule 2.100 - external link, and must include appropriate filing fees or written correspondence indicating that a fee waiver has been approved in the case.

Hearing dates for all motions heard in the Law and Motion departments must be reserved in advance by telephoning the calendaring clerks at 916-874-7848 (Department 54) or 916-874-7858 (Department 53). (See Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse Filing Guidelines and Hall of Justice Civil Law and Motion Filing Guidelines for more information).

Oppositions, Replies, Post Trial Motions, etc.

Oppositions, replies, post trial motions, proofs of service subsequent to the filing of a motion, and ex parte applications must be filed directly in the appropriate department. Department hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Oppositions, replies, and ex parte applications for the Presiding Judge's (Department 47), must be filed at the Gordon D. Schaber Filing Window at 720 9th Street, Room 102. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Oppositions, replies, and ex parte applications for Law and Motion (Departments 53 and 54), must be filed at the Civil Law and Motion Filing Counter at 813 6th Street, Room 212 (2nd Floor). Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Writ of Execution or Abstract of Judgment

Writs of execution or abstracts of judgment for Unlimited and Limited Civil cases excluding Small Claims and Limited Civil Unlawful Detainer cases shall mailed or put in the drop box at 720 9th Street, in Room 102. Payment of fees for issuance of writs of execution or abstracts of judgment shall be made by check or cashier’s check. Writs and abstracts must be submitted on the Judicial Council - external link form, with a file-endorsed copy of the judgment(s) and cost bill, and must include the appropriate fee or fee waiver.