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: Sonoma 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:Sonoma 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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Sonoma County: other local timing requirements

CMC tentative rulings posted 3 court days before the CMC calendar; party wishing to be heard must advise the judicial assistant no later than 24 hours before the conference and notify all parties. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.2(B)
OSC calendar tentative rulings recorded starting 2:00 p.m. two court days before the OSC hearing. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.4(C)
Civil law and motion tentative rulings issued by 2:00 p.m. the court day before the hearing; available online 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 5.5(A)
Stipulated continuances or drops of law and motion matters must be filed by 4:00 p.m. at least 3 court days before the hearing, with same-day courtesy copy to the department; only one stipulated continuance. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 5.3
Post-trial documents: courtesy copies to the trial department's drop box the same day they are filed. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.18
Trials are called on the Friday specified in the Notice of Trial; in-person attendance required unless excused. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.10(B)
Small claims: exhibits are destroyed 60 calendar days after final determination unless the litigant requested return and supplied a stamped envelope; no post-trial exhibits accepted unless requested by the court. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.1(E)
Civil case management plans: unlawful detainer and injunctive proceedings placed in a six-month disposition plan; judicial review, enforcement and miscellaneous petitions in a nine-month plan; UM/UIM designated cases exempt for 180 days with CMC on the first CMC calendar after 180 days. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 4.1(C)-(D)
Criminal: Master Calendar since June 1, 2026 (arraignments 1:30 p.m.); Clear Warrant (Return on Warrant) calendar at 8:30 a.m. requires check-in at the Criminal Clerk's Office before 8:30 a.m. the same day (court notice, May 28, 2026, not a local rule). Sonoma Superior Court notice 'Master Calendar to Launch June 1, 2026'
Criminal: applications for temporary release of jail inmates must show notice to the District Attorney and Sheriff at least 48 hours before presentation. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 8.9(B)(1)
Family ex parte/emergency orders: notice by 10:00 a.m. one court day before review; application delivered to opposing party by 11:00 a.m. one court day before review (in force in the July 2026 rules). Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 9.12
Family: drop a hearing from Domestic or Child Support Calendar by noon one court day before; courtesy call to judicial assistant by 3:00 p.m. one court day before when continuing. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 9.13
Juvenile: stipulated continuance requests presented by noon at least one court day before the hearing. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 10.11
Juvenile: for parents in Sonoma County Jail, confirm with the juvenile clerk five days before the hearing that the Sheriff has been notified of transport. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 10.30(A)
Juvenile dependency telephone appearance: request 5 court days before, opposition 3 court days before, court rules 2 court days before. Not modeled as deadlines because statewide remote-appearance law (CCP 367.76; W&I 679.5; CRC 5.531) may control; lawyer should confirm which governs. Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 10.37

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: request for remote trial or evidentiary hearing (Sonoma County)	10 court days before	Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 1.9(E)
Small claims (remote appearance): send evidence to other parties (Sonoma County)	10 days before	Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.1(D)
Small claims (remote appearance): submit evidence to court (Sonoma County)	10 days before	Sonoma Super. Ct. Local Rule 2.1(D)

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