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: Orange 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:Orange County local rules independently reviewed (effective 2025-07-01)

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.

Google Calendar

Track every deadline in this case, free →

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 matter

Orange County: other local timing requirements

Issue Conference items, including the signed Statement of Compliance, must be filed by noon of the Wednesday before trial; Joint Trial Notebook delivered to the trial department clerk by the same time. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 317(A), (B)
Limited civil CMC: appearance required unless, not less than five court days before, an At-Issue Memorandum, disposition, Notice of Settlement, or ADR stipulation has been filed. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 321
Remote appearance at non-evidentiary civil proceedings: give notice to the court online via the court-provided hyperlink on the day of the hearing, and notice to all parties by the start of the hearing. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 375(e)
Hearing dates and deadlines under Division 3 cannot be modified by stipulation without written approval of the judicial officer. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 388
Family ex parte: written response (24 hours) Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 704(A)(6)
Family ex parte: notice with moving papers to the other side before 10:00 a.m. the court day before the matter is considered; applications filed by 10:00 a.m. are reviewed same day; DVTROs received by 2:00 p.m. ruled on the same day. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 704(A)(3), (5)
DVRO ex parte requests: notice must be received at least 4 hours before presentation to the judicial officer, absent good cause. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 704(B)(2)
Probate elder/dependent adult abuse ex parte: notice must be received at least 4 hours before presentation. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 601.12
Blocked account depository receipt: request for extension by ex parte application before 4:30 p.m. two court days before the 30-day period ends. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 613.04
Felony pretrial motions (after information/indictment): set for 9:00 a.m. on the second available Friday before trial; per Administrative Order 12/03 motions with proof of service must be filed by 4:00 p.m. (clerk's office close) on the second Friday immediately preceding the pretrial motion/trial readiness conference date. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 800(B)(1); Administrative Order No. 12/03
Felony pretrial motions: written notice of intention to seek a continuance, with proof of service, by noon the Wednesday before the hearing. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 800(C)(4)
Civil e-filing: documents subject to mandatory e-filing may be filed until midnight on the due date (CCP 1010.6), per Administrative Order 12/10. Orange Super. Ct. Administrative Order No. 12/10; Local Rule 352
DO NOT MODEL: Local rule 360(D)(11)(a) states a 30-day, non-extendable period to request trial de novo after judicial arbitration. This conflicts with CCP 1141.20(a) and CRC 3.826(a), which give 60 days after the award is filed; the statewide 60-day rule (judicial_arb_trial_de_novo) governs. Flag for lawyer review; a cautious practitioner files within 30 days. Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 360(D)(11)(a)
Complex/mass tort: Civil Complex Center: Guidelines for All Complex Civil Departments Initial CMC generally about 90 days after filing; CM-110 not used, file a Case Management or Status Conference Statement no later than 5 court days before each conference; moving party files a 'Meet and Confer' statement at least 3 calendar days before any motion hearing; pre-trial conference may be set 30 to 90 days before trial; a case-specific CMO governs over the guidelines. Source
Complex/mass tort: Construction defect and toxic pollution cases to complex panel Construction defect and toxic pollution causes of action should be identified on the face of the complaint so the case may be assigned immediately to the civil complex panel. No day-count schedule. Source

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)
Small claims: file proof of service on defendant (Orange County)	5 days before	Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 341
Small claims: request to reset hearing when defendant not served (Orange County)	3 court days before	Orange Super. Ct. Local Rules, rule 343(B)

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