Superior court habeas: informal response served and filed (15 days)
15 days after date of the court's request for an informal response, under Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.551(b)(3).
Rule text
(b)(3) The informal response must be in writing and must be served and filed within 15 days. If the petitioner is not represented by counsel in the habeas corpus proceeding, the informal response must be served on the petitioner. If the petitioner is represented by counsel in the habeas corpus proceeding, the informal response must be served on the petitioner's counsel. If any informal response is filed, the court must notify the petitioner that a reply may be filed within 15 days from the date of service of the response on the petitioner or counsel.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date of the court's request for an informal response): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 15 calendar days: Saturday, November 21, 2026.
- That day is a Saturday, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, November 23, 2026 (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 10; Gov. Code 6800, 6804, 6806; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10 (for periods set by the Rules of Court)).
Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.551(b)(3)
(b)(3) The informal response must be in writing and must be served and filed within 15 days. If the petitioner is not represented by counsel in the habeas corpus proceeding, the informal response must be served on the petitioner. If the petitioner is represented by counsel in the habeas corpus proceeding, the informal response must be served on the petitioner's counsel. If any informal response is filed, the court must notify the petitioner that a reply may be filed within 15 days from the date of service of the response on the petitioner or counsel.Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 10; Gov. Code 6800, 6804, 6806; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10 (for periods set by the Rules of Court)
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.(b) This section applies to Sections 659, 659a, and 921, and to all other provisions of law providing or requiring an act to be performed on a particular day or within a specified period of time, whether expressed in this or any other code or statute, ordinance, rule, or regulation." 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." Gov. Code 6800: "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." Gov. Code 6804: "“Month” means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed." Gov. Code 6806: "A day is the period of time between any midnight and the midnight following." CRC 1.10(a): "The time in which any act provided by these rules is to be performed is computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, and then it is also excluded." CRC 1.10(b): "Unless otherwise provided by law, if the last day for the performance of any act that is required by these rules to be performed within a specific period of time falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, the period is extended to and includes the next day that is not a holiday."Official source
- AMBIGUITY: (b)(3) says 'within 15 days' without naming the starting event; the calculator runs it from the date of the court's request (the earliest plausible start). Check the request, which may set its own date. Rule 4.551 as amended effective July 1, 2026 (2026 edition on courts.ca.gov). Under 4.551(i) the court may shorten or extend any time under the rule for good cause. Last-day roll per CRC 1.10 / CCP 12a.
- 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.
Worked example
Date of the court's request for an informal response on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Tuesday, March 30, 2027.
- Trigger (Date of the court's request for an informal response): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 15 calendar days: Tuesday, March 30, 2027.
Notes
AMBIGUITY: (b)(3) says 'within 15 days' without naming the starting event; the calculator runs it from the date of the court's request (the earliest plausible start). Check the request, which may set its own date. Rule 4.551 as amended effective July 1, 2026 (2026 edition on courts.ca.gov). Under 4.551(i) the court may shorten or extend any time under the rule for good cause. Last-day roll per CRC 1.10 / CCP 12a.
Related deadlines
- Superior court habeas: court must rule on petition (60 days after filing); notice and request for ruling available after (60 days after)
- Superior court habeas: court must rule within 60 days after amended petition filed (60 days after)
- Superior court habeas: matter calendared for decision within 30 days after notice and request for ruling (30 days after)
- Superior court habeas: reply to informal response (15 days after service of response) (15 days after)
- Superior court habeas: court issues OSC or denies within 45 days after receiving informal response (45 days after)
- Superior court habeas: return (30 days after OSC) (30 days after)
- Superior court habeas: denial (traverse) to return (30 days after service and filing of return) (30 days after)
- Superior court habeas: court grants, denies, or orders evidentiary hearing (30 days after denial filed) (30 days after)
Local rules by county
County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Del Norte
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Humboldt
- Imperial
- Inyo
- Kern
- Kings
- Lake
- Lassen
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Mariposa
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Modoc
- Mono
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- Plumas
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Shasta
- Sierra
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sonoma
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
Rules current as of 2026-10-25. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.