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: San Joaquin 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 matterSan Joaquin County: other local timing requirements
- Civil law and motion tentative rulings posted beginning 1:30 p.m. on the court day before; notice of intent to appear by email to civilcourtclerks@sjcourts.org and to other parties by 4:00 p.m. that day. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 3-113(D)
- Civil ex parte: must be scheduled with the Law and Motion judge's clerk; moving papers and fee filed no later than 24 hours before the requested hearing. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 3-106
- Civil law and motion hearings scheduled with the clerk at filing (bring three dates); heard Tuesday to Friday at 9:00 a.m. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 3-113(A)
- Courtesy copies required for all substantive motions and all trial documents, delivered to the 10th or 11th floor drop box. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 3-117
- Probate tentative rulings posted the court day before; notice of intent to appear by 4:00 p.m. that day. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 4-110
- Family law tentative rulings: notice of intent to appear and argue by 4:00 p.m. the day before the hearing. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 7-111
- Criminal applications for temporary release of inmate (medical, dental, funeral): hearing date and time must be arranged 24 hours in advance with the courtroom clerk, with declaration of notice to the DA and custodial institution. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 2-112
- Criminal (Pen. Code 1368): doctor competency reports, or a doctor's written extension request, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. the last court day before the hearing. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 2-114(A)
- Felony pre-trial motions must be filed and served in time to be heard before the first readiness conference; misdemeanor pre-trial motions noticed for no later than a day in the week before the readiness conference. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 2-101
- Small claims, unlawful detainer, civil harassment and other evidentiary hearings: in-person appearance required unless authorized; local rule sets RA-010 notice of remote appearance 5 court days before and RA-015 opposition 3 court days before. NOT modeled as rules: CRC 3.672(h) sets longer periods for evidentiary hearings noticed 15 or more court days ahead (RA-010 10 court days; RA-015 5 court days), and the local rule itself says notice requirements are set forth in CRC 3.672; calendar the statewide periods. San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 9-101(B)(a), (b)
- Eminent domain (Declaration of Exemption filed at case initiation): Case Management Conference set 180 days after case initiation San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 3-102(A)(5)
- Eminent domain (Declaration of Exemption filed after case initiation): CMC vacated and reset 180 days after the declaration is filed San Joaquin Super. Ct. Local Rule 3-102(A)(5)
- Complex/mass tort: Court may designate complex on its own or a party's motion; complex cases are assigned to one judge for all purposes including trial. No fixed deadline schedule.
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.