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: Mendocino 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.
- 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).
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.
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.
Track a case. Save its key dates once, get every deadline in one calendar feed for Outlook, Google or Apple, and it updates itself when the trial is continued or a rule changes.
Create a matterMendocino County: other local timing requirements
- Criminal, juvenile delinquency and dependency documents for matters on calendar the next day must be e-filed by 3:00 pm. Mendocino Local Rule 1.8(a)(7)
- Matters needing judicial attention within one business day must be filed in person, not e-filed. Mendocino Local Rule 1.8(a)(10)
- Ukiah drop box (self-represented civil/family/probate): stamped by 5:00 p.m. filed same day. Mendocino Local Rules, Ukiah Drop Box
- Ex parte/emergency applications: reserve review date with clerk; file by 11:00 am on review day; notice and papers to opposing party by 10:00 a.m. one business day before; opposition by 11:00 a.m. on review day; court reviews 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., orders by 2:00 p.m. Mendocino Local Rule 1.15 (rule number per cross-reference in 4.4(a))
- Remote appearance for persons with mobility issues: notify Court Administration by noon two business days before hearing. Mendocino Local Rules, Remote Appearances by Persons with Mobility Issues (eff. 7/1/26)
- Civil/family remote appearance notice deadlines track CRC 3.672 (2 business days; noon the business day before; 10 business days for evidentiary hearings with 15+ business days' notice). Restatement of CRC 3.672; not modeled as local rules. Mendocino Local Rule 1.12
- Civil and probate tentative rulings posted by 3:00 p.m. the business day before hearing; oral argument only if a party notifies court and all parties by 4:00 p.m. the business day before. Mendocino Local Rule 2.6
- Criminal verdict forms/special interrogatories due 9:00 a.m. first day of trial; jury instructions filed the day before the final trial readiness/in limine conference; motions in limine filed and served by close of business Tuesday before trial (heard Wednesday before trial). Mendocino Local Rules 3.3(e), 3.6
- Civil OSC re dismissal after notice of settlement set no later than 30 days after the dismissal due date on CM-200 (court setting, not a party deadline). Mendocino Local Rule 2.7(h)
- Court-set OSC hearings for failure to file proof of service: UD within 45 days of complaint; limited civil within 180 days; unlimited civil joint CMC/OSC within 75 days; CMC 120 days after complaint. Mendocino Local Rule 2.1(a)
- Exhibits returned to the offering party at the conclusion of civil, family and probate matters must be kept unaltered until 60 days after final judgment or dismissal of the entire case. Mendocino Local Rules, Return of Exhibits; Civil, Family Law, and Probate
- Court-initiated OSC re dismissal in civil and family actions: court gives at least 20 calendar days' notice of the hearing. Mendocino Local Rules, Order to Show Cause Regarding Dismissal of Pending Civil or Family Law Actions
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.
California small claims deadlines covered
Rules changelog · For developers: /api/deadlines?state=CA-SC and the calculate_deadline tool in the 1Court MCP server.