CA State DCSS COVID - 19 Updates

COVID-19: Electronic Service of Documents  (California Rules of Court Update)

Effective April 17, 2020, additional temporary rules have been added to the California Rules of Court in response to COVID-19. To sustain essential court services in California state court and to promote social distancing, the Judicial Council announced the adoption of an initial set of Emergency Rules to the California Rules of Court, which went into effect earlier this month on April 6, 2020.

All documents served on either party can be submitted electronically by sending an email to: [email protected]

Any documents in Family Law cases served by mail can now be served electronically to the email associated with the case. Parties who are not represented by an attorney must provide their written consent to be served electronically (written email is sufficient).

Any electronically filed document received by the Court on or after midnight will be file stamped on the next court day.

If you are sending an attachment, please ensure it is a PDF document and no more than 10 megabytes per email. For more information, regarding PDF documents, please visit: Adobe.com/Acrobat

Emergency rule 12. Electronic service

As for electronic service, represented parties who have appeared in a civil action (including Family and Probate Law) must accept e-service of documents if requested by another party. The serving party has a duty to confirm the appropriate e-mail or other electronic service address for service. E-service on self-represented parties is only allowed with the written consent of that party. Confidential documents must be served via encrypted methods. E-service is deemed completed at the time the transmission was sent.

Before serving a represented party electronically, the serving party must confirm by 24 telephone or email the appropriate electronic service address for counsel being served.

Adopted effective April 17, 2020.