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: Santa Clara 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.

Santa Clara County local rules independently reviewed (effective 2026-07-01)
Deadline
Monday, November 30, 2026
  1. Trigger (Date of the clerk's order setting the hearing): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Thursday, November 26, 2026.
  3. 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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Santa Clara County: other local timing requirements

  • Civil ex parte: written opposition or request for hearing due by end of the day the application was filed; applications decided on the papers unless ordered otherwise. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Civil Rule 7(C)(5)-(6)
  • Tentative rulings in case management departments: generally available by 2:00 p.m., no later than 3:00 p.m., the court day before; notice of intent to contest by 4:00 p.m. the court day before. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Civil Rule 8(D)
  • Trial documents (motions in limine, exhibit and witness lists, jury instructions, special verdicts, stipulations, operative pleadings, statement of the case, trial briefs) filed, courtesy copies delivered, and served by noon on the Friday before the trial date. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Civil Rule 9(C)
  • Trial assignment: general civil and probate cases get a trial assignment date on the Thursday before the first trial day; counsel must be available for the whole following week. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Civil Rule 9(A)(3), (5)
  • Law and motion hearing dates in case management departments must be reserved after meeting and conferring, through the court website procedure; only one date per motion. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Civil Rule 8(A)(2)
  • Family ex parte: notice before 10:00 a.m. the court day before; notice after 10:00 a.m. or submission after 4:00 p.m. is deemed given at 9:00 a.m. the next court day. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Family Rule 5(A)(2)
  • Family: additional continuances only by written request to the APJ by 9:00 a.m. the court day before the hearing, on good cause. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Family Rule 5(G)(2)
  • Family: 'no-read' voicemail to courtroom clerk (and Duty Clerk) by 9:00 a.m. the court day before when a hearing is resolved or going off calendar. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Family Rule 5(I)(2)
  • Family tentative rulings (where issued) are posted the day of the hearing or announced at argument. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Family Rule 5(M)
  • Probate Advance Case Status Reports (pre-approval/examiner notes) posted generally two court days before the hearing and no later than 5:00 p.m. the court day before; not posted for conservatorship or guardianship appointment calendars. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Probate Rule 1(H)
  • Probate hearing dates must be reserved through the court website procedure; minor's compromise in an existing civil case uses Local Civil Rule 8(C). Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Probate Rule 1(D)
  • Temporary conservatee change of residence petitions must be calendared for the first Tuesday afternoon conservatorship appointment calendar after filing. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Probate Rule 11(T)(7)
  • Guardian/conservator accountings: court sets first account compliance date on the Friday 10:00 a.m. calendar no later than 60 days after the first anniversary of appointment, and thereafter no later than 60 days after each biennial anniversary (court-set). Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Probate Rule 9(A)(2)(c)
  • Juvenile ex parte: written opposition to the courtroom clerk within 48 hours of receipt of notice (or noted on the application); applicant files Local Form JV-2000 declaration re notice. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Juvenile Rule 1(G)(2)-(3)
  • Juvenile: settlement conference held before every contested hearing; represented parties must electronically send briefs, motions in limine and witness lists to all parties (no day count stated). Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Juvenile Rule 1(I)
  • Criminal ex parte Order Shortening Time: notice of intent to all parties no later than 10:00 a.m. the court day before the ex parte application. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Criminal Rule 7(L)(2); 7(F)(2)
  • Criminal: Request for Calendar Setting (CR-6008), signed by the presiding judicial officer, filed with the Clerk's Office at least 48 hours before the requested court date. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Criminal Rule 10
  • Felony After Arraignment Calendar: filing deadline is noon on the Thursday immediately before the calendar is called (except PC 1050 motions); earlier if Thursday is a holiday. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Criminal Rule 4(C)(1)
  • Criminal: motion to file beyond a declared last day to file requires an affidavit of good cause. Santa Clara Super. Ct. Local Criminal Rule 7(E)
  • Complex/mass tort: Complex Civil Litigation Departments 8 and 22: Complex Civil Litigation Guidelines, class certification guidelines, class settlement approval guidelines, model protective order Department-level guidelines for complex cases; Judge Peterson assigned to the Complex Division in Dept. 8 effective August 20, 2026 (Dept. 19 complex cases reassigned). Guideline PDFs not parsed for day counts. Source
  • Complex/mass tort: General Order Deeming Related Google Incognito Mode Cases Complex and Staying Discovery Responsive and Pleading Deadlines (May 13, 2024) Mass-action general order deeming listed related cases complex and staying discovery and responsive pleading deadlines; not parsed. 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

DeadlinePeriodRule
Hearing date set by clerk: earliest20 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.330(a)
Hearing date set by clerk: latest70 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.330(a)
Serve plaintiff's claim and order: defendant resides in the county15 days beforeCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.340(b), (d)
Serve plaintiff's claim and order: defendant resides outside the county20 days beforeCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.340(b), (d)
File proof of service of claim5 days beforeCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.340(c)
Serve defendant's claim on plaintiff (defendant served more than 10 days before hearing)5 days beforeCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.360(c)
Serve defendant's claim on plaintiff (defendant served 10 days or less before hearing)1 days beforeCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.360(c)
Written request to postpone hearing10 days beforeCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.570(a)(2), (3)
Plaintiff who did not appear: motion to vacate judgment30 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.720(a)
Hearing on plaintiff's motion to vacate: earliest date10 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.720(b)
Motion to correct clerical error or vacate for incorrect legal basis30 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.725(a)(2), (b)
Defendant who did not appear: motion to vacate judgment30 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.730(a)
Notice of appeal from denial of defendant's motion to vacate10 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.730(e); 116.740(d)
Defendant not properly served: motion to vacate judgment180 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.740(a)
Notice of appeal (new hearing in superior court)30 days afterCal. 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 afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.750(c)
Clerk transmits file to court hearing the appeal5 days afterCal. Rules of Court, rule 8.957
Superior court mails notice of appeal hearing14 days beforeCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.770(e)
Appeal may be dismissed if not heard within one year of notice of appeal12 months afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.795(a)
Judgment debtor's statement of assets delivered to creditor30 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.830(b)
Statement of assets after motion to vacate or appeal concludes30 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.830(c)
Judgment creditor files acknowledgment of satisfaction after full payment and written demand14 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.850(a), (b)
Payment to court by check or other non-guaranteed method: satisfaction entered after delay30 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.860(d)
Motor vehicle judgment $1,000 or less unpaid: earliest date to request DMV license suspension90 days afterCal. Code Civ. Proc. 116.880(a)
Small claims: request later hearing date when defendant cannot be served in time (Santa Clara County)1 court days beforeSanta Clara Super. Ct. Local Civil Rule 19(D)(3)
Small claims: written notice of settlement before hearing (Santa Clara County)1 court days beforeSanta Clara Super. Ct. Local Civil Rule 19(E)

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

Santa Clara County, California Small claims Deadline Calculator | 1Court