Motion for judgment on the pleadings: meet and confer
5 days before date the motion for judgment on the pleadings will be filed, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 439(a)(2).
Rule text
The parties shall meet and confer at least 5 days before the date a motion for judgment on the pleadings is filed. If the parties are unable to meet and confer by that time, the moving party shall be granted an automatic 30-day extension of time within which to file a motion for judgment on the pleadings, by filing and serving, on or before the date a motion for judgment on the pleadings must be filed, a declaration stating under penalty of perjury that a good faith attempt to meet and confer was made and explaining the reasons why the parties could not meet and confer.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date the motion for judgment on the pleadings will be filed): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Count back 5 calendar days: Sunday, November 1, 2026.
- That day is a Sunday. Counting backward, this calculator uses the earlier court day so the full notice period is preserved: Friday, October 30, 2026 (see Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12c).
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 439(a)(2)
The parties shall meet and confer at least 5 days before the date a motion for judgment on the pleadings is filed. If the parties are unable to meet and confer by that time, the moving party shall be granted an automatic 30-day extension of time within which to file a motion for judgment on the pleadings, by filing and serving, on or before the date a motion for judgment on the pleadings must be filed, a declaration stating under penalty of perjury that a good faith attempt to meet and confer was made and explaining the reasons why the parties could not meet and confer.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
- Counting backward from a hearing or trial, when the day lands on a weekend or holiday we use the earlier court day. The rules do not state the direction expressly; confirm with the court.
- Runs back from the planned filing date. The automatic 30-day extension is modeled only in notes because a JOP has no fixed statutory filing deadline in most cases (CCP 438(e) timing not in this batch). Does not apply to UD, incarcerated self-represented party actions, anti-SLAPP, or motions brought less than 30 days before trial (439(d)).
- 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 the motion for judgment on the pleadings will be filed on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Wednesday, March 10, 2027.
- Trigger (Date the motion for judgment on the pleadings will be filed): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Count back 5 calendar days: Wednesday, March 10, 2027.
Notes
Runs back from the planned filing date. The automatic 30-day extension is modeled only in notes because a JOP has no fixed statutory filing deadline in most cases (CCP 438(e) timing not in this batch). Does not apply to UD, incarcerated self-represented party actions, anti-SLAPP, or motions brought less than 30 days before trial (439(d)).
Related deadlines
- Noticed motion: serve and file moving papers before hearing (16 court days before)
- Noticed motion: opposition (9 court days before)
- Noticed motion: reply (5 court days before)
- Motion for summary judgment / adjudication: notice before hearing (81 days before)
- Motion for summary judgment: opposition (20 days before)
- Motion for summary judgment: reply (11 days before)
- Motion for summary judgment: last day for hearing before trial (30 days before)
- Ex parte application: notice to other parties (1 court day before)
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.