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 Cruz 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:Santa Cruz County local rules independently reviewed (effective 2026-07-01)

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.

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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 Cruz County: other local timing requirements

Civil long cause master calendar call on the Thursday two weeks before trial at 1:30 p.m.; all jury instructions, motions in limine, witness and exhibit lists, trial briefs, voir dire/questionnaires, statements of the case and special verdict forms due by 12 noon on the day of the Calendar Call. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.2.02
Civil ex parte (determined on papers): notice before 10:00 a.m. court day before; notify clerk by 11:00 a.m. court day before; papers to clerk and other side by 3:00 p.m. court day before; opposition by 10:00 a.m. day of determination; orders after 2:30 p.m. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.9.01
Civil tentative rulings, if issued, published by 3:00 p.m. the day before; oral argument requires contacting court and all opposing parties by 4:00 p.m. the court day before (CRC 3.1308). Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rules (Civil Tentative Rulings, Div. 2)
Family ex parte (Watsonville): notice by 10:00 a.m. court day before the 1:00 p.m. hearing; notify ex parte clerk by 11:00 a.m.; papers delivered and served by 3:00 p.m. day before; objections by 10:00 a.m. day of hearing. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 3.1.13
Probate ex parte: determined on papers by 2:30 p.m.; schedule and submit by 10 a.m. the court day before; certain petitions require paperwork by 10:00 a.m. five court days before the ex parte date. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.1.08
Criminal jury trial readiness conference at 9:00 a.m. on the Wednesday two weeks before trial; in limine motions, witness and exhibit lists and proposed jury instructions due by 12 noon on the Calendar Call date. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 5.1.06
Criminal Master Calendar trial documents e-filed by 12 p.m. the day of the Master Calendar. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 1.3.02
Unlawful detainer ex parte: notice to opposing party before 10:00 a.m. the court day before; notify clerk by 11:00 a.m. the court day before (not earlier than two court days before); papers by 3:00 p.m. the court day before; opposition by 10:00 a.m. day of determination; lockout-date exception allows same-day notice by 11:00 a.m. and papers to noon. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.9.03
Civil harassment, workplace violence, gun violence and postsecondary school violence restraining order requests filed in Watsonville by 10:00 a.m. for same-day consideration; DV and elder abuse requests likewise (Rule 3.1.13). Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rules 2.9.02, 3.1.13
Civil ex parte: papers to clerk and to opposing party by 3:00 p.m. the court day before; opposition by 10:00 a.m. day of determination (supplements existing 2.9.01 entry). Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.9.01
Civil law and motion: stipulated continuance requests within 24 hours of the hearing (weekends and holidays excepted) ordinarily not granted; one continuance per side. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.4.02
Family CCRC: failure to appear without 48 hours' notice results in fee assessment. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 3.3.02
Family custody evaluator must respond in writing to a complaint at least 2 calendar days before the hearing (evaluator duty; complaint deadline already in existing file). Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 3.3.03
Probate: Pre-Approval List posted on court website one day before hearing; check to determine if appearance needed. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.1.03
Probate ex parte (non-temporary-conservatorship): notice to opposing party before 10:00 a.m. the court day before; objections by 10:00 a.m. day of determination. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.1.08
Special administration letters ordinarily require at least 24 hours' notice to surviving spouse, nominated executor and persons listed in petition. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.2.01
Temporary conservatorship where general petition will be contested: known potential objectors get at least 24 hours' notice of presentation. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.3.02
Criminal urgent calendar requests (SUPCR 205) should generally be e-filed no less than two court days before the requested hearing. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 5.1.16
Juvenile ex parte: appointment with the court at least 24 hours in advance. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 6.1.06
Juvenile dependency CASA reports: courtesy copies to counsel and social worker via portal within two days of the hearing (CASA program duty). Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Local Rule 6.3.02
Christmas Eve is a half-day court closure: Thursday Dec 24, 2026 and Thursday Dec 23, 2027 (afternoon). Not modeled as a full closure because the court is open part of the day and e-filing until 11:59 p.m. is deemed filed that day (Rule 1.3.01); confirm with the clerk before relying on it to extend a deadline. Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Court Holiday Schedule
Complex/mass tort: Court follows the California Rules of Court for complex litigation; no local complex CMO or 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.

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: remote-appearance hearing evidence served and submitted (Santa Cruz County)	7 court days before	Santa Cruz Super. Ct. Evidence Submission for Non-Criminal Trials and Evidentiary Hearings (2/04/2022)

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