Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Diego Superior Court has been closed for most non-emergency services from March 17 through May 22. More than 87,000 hearings from that timeframe and on the calendar for the coming months will need to be re-scheduled.

In the interest of the health and safety of all Court visitors and employees, re-scheduled hearings will be handled remotely wherever possible. The process will vary for each case type and details for the manner of appearance will be included in the re-scheduling notices that will be sent to involved parties.

Traffic

• All previously scheduled hearings and business office appointments for Traffic matters will be vacated. Hearings will be re-scheduled for a future date and notices will be sent via U.S. mail.
• Many traffic-related needs can be handled online, including paying a traffic fine, requesting an extension and setting up a payment plan. Please view the Traffic FAQs on the Court’s website for information on traffic-related questions during the COVID-19 pandemic and for information on services that are available online.
• Hearings for traffic matters will not be held in-person upon the Court’s re-opening. A rescheduling notice will be sent via U.S. mail to people with pending Traffic matters

Criminal

• In-custody criminal matters continue to be heard via video and telephone conferences.
• Out-of-custody matters will be vacated and re-scheduled for a future date.

Family Law Domestic Violence

• Please continue to monitor the Court’s website for information on criminal-related questions during COVID-19 pandemic

Civil Independent Calendar Departments

• All Law & Motion hearings previously calendared will be vacated. Beginning on Monday, May 18, the Court’s new Civil Status Conference Scheduling App will be available at sdcourt.ca.gov for attorneys and self-represented litigants to schedule status conferences at their convenience for dates after the Court re-opens. This Status Conference Scheduling App is specifically for setting status conferences for vacated motions only. Parties are required to meet-and-confer to determine if a status conference is necessary and, if so, the moving party may schedule a status conference.
• Trial Readiness Hearings & Trials will be re-scheduled for 180 days from the original date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties who have formally appeared in the matter.
• Case Management Conferences will be re-scheduled for 120 days from the original date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties who have formally appeared in the matter.

Civil Non-Independent Calendar Departments (except small claims matters)

• All hearings previously calendared will be vacated and re-scheduled for a future date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties who have formally appeared in the matter.

Small Claims (matters involving claims of $10,000 or less)

• For pending Small Claims Court trial matters, if service had not been effected in time for the Small Claims Court trial scheduled during the Court’s closure, the matter will be reset. Plaintiff(s) will be provided with a reset packet to effect service on all named Defendant(s). If service was effected prior to the scheduled Small Claims Court trial, and the Court is in receipt of a valid proof of service, the matter will be continued to a new date. All parties will be noticed by U.S. mail of the new hearing date.

Limited Unlawful Detainer (landlord-tenant matters)

• All hearings previously calendared will be vacated and re-scheduled for a future date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties who have formally appeared in the matter.

Civil Harassment, Elder Abuse, School Violence and Gun Violence Matters

Hearings for previously filed Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO) that were originally scheduled during the Court’s closure will be re-scheduled. All matters currently on the calendar for after the Court’s re-opening will be re-scheduled for 60-90 days from the existing hearing date. All temporary restraining orders that were granted will remain in full force and effect until the new hearing date.

Petitioners will receive notice of a new hearing date by U.S. mail. If the Sheriff’s Department was used to serve the Respondent, the Respondent will be notified of their new hearing date by the Sheriff’s Department. If a third party served the TRO, a new service packet will be provided to the Petitioner to effect service.

New temporary restraining order requests remain available throughout the Court’s closure. Find additional details here.

Name Changes

• All previously calendared Name Change Petitions wherein an objection was received and filed by the Court will be re-scheduled. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to all parties in the case.
• Name Change Petitions where no objection was received or filed by the Court are pending further review. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to all parties in the case.
• Name Change Petitions that were previously set by the Court for dates on and after May 26 remain on calendar

Family Support Division

• All hearings previously calendared will be re-scheduled for a future date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties involved in the matter.

Family Law

• All hearings previously calendared will be re-scheduled for a future date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties involved in the matter.
• Beginning on Tuesday, May 26, the Court will offer a new Family Law eFiling option on the Court’s website at sdcourt.ca.gov.

Family Law Domestic Violence

• Hearings for previously filed Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO) that were originally scheduled during the Court’s closure will be re-scheduled. All matters currently on the calendar for after the Court’s re-opening will be re-scheduled for 60-90 days from the existing hearing date. All temporary restraining orders that were granted will remain in full force and effect until the new hearing date.
• Petitioners will receive notice of a new hearing date by U.S. mail. If the Sheriff’s Department was used to serve the Respondent, the Respondent will be notified of their new hearing date by the Sheriff’s Department. If a third party served the TRO, a new service packet will be provided to the Petitioner to effect service.
• New temporary restraining order requests remain available throughout the Court’s closure. Find additional details here.

Juvenile

• Many Juvenile matters have been able to be addressed during the Court’s closure. Find additional details here.
• All other hearings previously calendared will be re-scheduled for a future date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties involved in the matter.

Probate

• Many Probate matters have been able to be addressed during the Court’s closure. Find additional details here.
• Hearings previously calendared through July 2 will be re-scheduled for a future date. Notices will be sent via U.S. mail to parties involved in the matter

The Court remains closed for most purposes through May 22. A full list of currently available services is posted on the Court’s website and is being updated as new services are added. Answers to frequently asked questions during the Court’s closure are also posted online at sdcourt.ca.gov/coronavirus.

If you have a pending case, please first check the FAQs provided on the Court’s website. If you still have a case-specific question, please send an email to the relevant address below. Non-case specific questions will not be answered, and unless otherwise specified in the information provided in the FAQs, the Court will not accept documents submitted through these email boxes. Be advised that unless otherwise specified, emails and any attachments will not be included in the court file or be considered a court record, may not be preserved, and will not be forwarded to the judicial officer presiding over your matter as that would constitute an ex parte communication. Your name and case number must be included in all emails.

Please monitor the San Diego Superior Court website (sdcourt.ca.gov) for continued updates.