California court deadline calculator

Pick a deadline and enter the trigger date. The result applies Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10 (counting, weekends and court holidays), service-method extensions where the law allows them, and the rule for that deadline, with each step and citation shown. Scope: Madera County local rules are included below (marked with the court name), layered on these base rules. Small claims division of the California superior court under the Small Claims Act (CCP 116.110-116.950) and small claims appeal rules (CRC 8.950-8.966). Jurisdictional amount limits, fee schedules other than as quoted, and enforcement procedures under the Enforcement of Judgments Law (CCP 680.010 et seq.) are not modeled.. Rules current as of 2026-10-23.

County:Madera County local rules independently reviewed (effective 2026-01-01 (court states the January 1, 2026 version was not amended and remains in effect as of July 1, 2026))

DeadlineDate of the clerk's order setting the hearing

Deadline

Monday, November 30, 2026

Trigger (Date of the clerk's order setting the hearing): Friday, November 6, 2026.
Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Thursday, November 26, 2026.
That day is a Thanksgiving Day, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, November 30, 2026 (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10).

Rules applied

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.330(a)

When a claim is filed, the clerk shall schedule the case for hearing and shall issue an order directing the parties to appear at the time set for the hearing with witnesses and documents to prove their claim or defense. The case shall be scheduled for hearing no earlier than 20 days but not more than 70 days from the date of the order.

Official source

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10

CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays." CCP 12b: "If any city, county, state, or public office, other than a branch office, is closed for the whole of any day, insofar as the business of that office is concerned, that day shall be considered as a holiday for the purposes of computing time under Sections 12 and 12a." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135."

Official source

Court-facing. Useful to check whether a scheduled date complies.
If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.

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This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.

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Madera County: other local timing requirements

Madera does not routinely issue tentative rulings. If one is issued, the parties are notified and it is available by 4:30 p.m. the day before the hearing; no notice of intent to appear is required. Madera Local Rule 3.3.6
Civil ex parte applications heard Monday to Friday beginning 8:15 a.m. in the designated department; the law and motion calendar is called at 8:30 a.m. Madera Local Rules 2.4.7, 3.2.3
Proposed jury instructions submitted at the commencement of trial. Madera Local Rule 2.3.2
Civil CMC calendared no later than 180 days after filing, with notice to parties at least 45 days before; plaintiffs must serve and file proofs of service on all defendants by the first CMC; stipulated CMC continuances may not exceed 15 days. Madera Local Rules 3.5.1, 3.5.3, 3.5.6
Family law orders shortening time (emergency): papers, OST and proof of service filed by 4:00 p.m. the day before the hearing. Madera Local Rule 5.1.4
Family-centered case resolution: status conference set no later than 120 days after petition filing, then every 180 days or less. Madera Local Rule 5.1.37(a)
Appellate division oral argument set on the third Friday of the month at 8:00 a.m. Madera Local Rule 8.1.2
Telephonic appearance program (all divisions as applicable): Form served on all litigants and first page faxed to Program Administrator not less than 5 court days before hearing; payment received 5 court days before; confirmation faxed 3 court days before. For civil, CRC 3.672/CCP 367.75 now govern remote appearance notice (2 court days), so this local procedure is not modeled as a deadline. Madera Local Rule 2.7.4, 2.7.5, 2.7.7
Criminal recall-of-warrant hearings: set no earlier than one week from request; where bail is forfeited, submit the bonding agency's Letter of Reassumption of Liability to the court within two days so it does not expire. Madera Local Rule 4.1.16
Traffic: clerk may grant one extension not to exceed 30 days from the pay or appear date. Madera Local Rule 4.2.1
Family Court Services: cancel unneeded appointments at least 48 hours ahead; $200 fee for missing CCRC session without 48 hours' notice; fee waiver should be sought at least two weeks before first appointment. Madera Local Rule 5.1.26, 5.1.29, 5.1.39
Probate temporary guardianship (notice under Prob. Code 2250(e)): tentative hearing set no sooner than 10 court days after filing. Madera Local Rule 7.1.10
Adoptions: hearing date on the regular adoptions calendar within 60 calendar days of filing of the petition. Madera Local Rule 7.6.1(d)
Complex/mass tort: Cases the court determines to be complex are governed by Standard 3.10 of the Standards of Judicial Administration and not by the local case management division. No complex department or asbestos CMO identified.

Under Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.20, county rules cannot change statewide deadlines for pleadings, motions, discovery or ex parte applications; local rules that tried to were excluded from the calculator.

Official local rules

California small claims deadlines covered

Deadline	Period	Rule
Hearing date set by clerk: earliest	20 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.330(a)
Hearing date set by clerk: latest	70 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.330(a)
Serve plaintiff's claim and order: defendant resides in the county	15 days before	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.340(b), (d)
Serve plaintiff's claim and order: defendant resides outside the county	20 days before	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.340(b), (d)
File proof of service of claim	5 days before	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.340(c)
Serve defendant's claim on plaintiff (defendant served more than 10 days before hearing)	5 days before	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.360(c)
Serve defendant's claim on plaintiff (defendant served 10 days or less before hearing)	1 days before	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.360(c)
Written request to postpone hearing	10 days before	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.570(a)(2), (3)
Plaintiff who did not appear: motion to vacate judgment	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.720(a)
Hearing on plaintiff's motion to vacate: earliest date	10 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.720(b)
Motion to correct clerical error or vacate for incorrect legal basis	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.725(a)(2), (b)
Defendant who did not appear: motion to vacate judgment	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.730(a)
Notice of appeal from denial of defendant's motion to vacate	10 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.730(e); 116.740(d)
Defendant not properly served: motion to vacate judgment	180 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.740(a)
Notice of appeal (new hearing in superior court)	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.750(b); Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.954
Notice of appeal after modified judgment (new 30-day period)	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.750(c)
Clerk transmits file to court hearing the appeal	5 days after	Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.957
Superior court mails notice of appeal hearing	14 days before	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.770(e)
Appeal may be dismissed if not heard within one year of notice of appeal	12 months after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.795(a)
Judgment debtor's statement of assets delivered to creditor	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.830(b)
Statement of assets after motion to vacate or appeal concludes	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.830(c)
Judgment creditor files acknowledgment of satisfaction after full payment and written demand	14 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.850(a), (b)
Payment to court by check or other non-guaranteed method: satisfaction entered after delay	30 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.860(d)
Motor vehicle judgment $1,000 or less unpaid: earliest date to request DMV license suspension	90 days after	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.880(a)
Interpreter request (civil, family, probate, small claims) on MAD-INT-001 or INT-300 (Madera County)	10 court days before	Madera Local Rule 1.4.4(d)

Rules changelog · For developers: /api/deadlines?state=CA-SC and the calculate_deadline tool in the 1Court MCP server.