Referee's order becomes final 10 calendar days after service (no rehearing)

10 days after date of service of the referee's order and findings under rule 5.538, under Cal. Rules of Court, rule 5.540(c).

Rule text

An order of a referee becomes final 10 calendar days after service of a copy of the order and findings under rule 5.538, if an application for rehearing has not been made within that time or if the judge of the juvenile court has not within the 10 days ordered a rehearing on the judge's own motion under rule 5.542.

Cal. Rules of Court, rule 5.540(c), official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Monday, November 16, 2026
  1. Trigger (Date of service of the referee's order and findings under rule 5.538): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 10 calendar days: Monday, November 16, 2026.
Rules applied
Cal. Rules of Court, rule 5.540(c)
An order of a referee becomes final 10 calendar days after service of a copy of the order and findings under rule 5.538, if an application for rehearing has not been made within that time or if the judge of the juvenile court has not within the 10 days ordered a rehearing on the judge's own motion under rule 5.542.
Official source
Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 10, 133-135; Gov. Code 6800; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10. 'Judicial day' / 'court day': not defined in WIC or CRC 5.502.
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 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." CCP 133: "Courts of justice may be held and judicial business transacted on any day, except as provided in this article." 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." 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
  • Finality date starts the 60-day appeal period (CRC 8.406(a)(1)(A)) and the referee-order writ periods. AMBIGUITY: rule 5.540(c) refers to a judge's own-motion rehearing 'within the 10 days', but WIC 253 and CRC 5.542(d) allow the judge 20 judicial/court days after the hearing. roll 'none' because finality is a status date; whether it moves when day 10 is a holiday is unsettled.
  • 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 service of the referee's order and findings under rule 5.538 on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Thursday, March 25, 2027.

  1. Trigger (Date of service of the referee's order and findings under rule 5.538): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 10 calendar days: Thursday, March 25, 2027.

Unsettled points

  • The calculator computes juvenile referee rehearing and finality dates without the 2-court-day e-service extension, the earlier dates.Other reading: If CCP 1010.6 applies through WIC 212.5, each date is 2 court days later.

Notes

Finality date starts the 60-day appeal period (CRC 8.406(a)(1)(A)) and the referee-order writ periods. AMBIGUITY: rule 5.540(c) refers to a judge's own-motion rehearing 'within the 10 days', but WIC 253 and CRC 5.542(d) allow the judge 20 judicial/court days after the hearing. roll 'none' because finality is a status date; whether it moves when day 10 is a holiday is unsettled.

Related deadlines

All California juvenile deadlines

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.

Rules current as of 2026-10-26. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.