Request for trial de novo after judicial arbitration award

60 days after date the arbitrator filed the award with the clerk, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 1141.20(a); Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.826(a).

Rule text

CCP 1141.20(a): "An arbitration award shall be final unless a request for a de novo trial or a request for dismissal in the form required by the Judicial Council is filed within 60 days after the date the arbitrator files the award with the court." CRC 3.826(a): "Within 60 days after the arbitration award is filed with the clerk of the court, a party may request a trial by filing with the clerk a request for trial, with proof of service of a copy upon all other parties appearing in the case. A request for trial filed after the parties have been served with a copy of the award by the arbitrator, but before the award has been filed with the clerk, is valid and timely filed. The 60-day period within which to request trial may not be extended."

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 1141.20(a); Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.826(a), official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Tuesday, January 5, 2027
  1. Trigger (Date the arbitrator filed the award with the clerk): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 60 calendar days: Tuesday, January 5, 2027.
Rules applied
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 1141.20(a); Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.826(a)
CCP 1141.20(a): "An arbitration award shall be final unless a request for a de novo trial or a request for dismissal in the form required by the Judicial Council is filed within 60 days after the date the arbitrator files the award with the court." CRC 3.826(a): "Within 60 days after the arbitration award is filed with the clerk of the court, a party may request a trial by filing with the clerk a request for trial, with proof of service of a copy upon all other parties appearing in the case. A request for trial filed after the parties have been served with a copy of the award by the arbitrator, but before the award has been filed with the clerk, is valid and timely filed. The 60-day period within which to request trial may not be extended."
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
  • Judicial (court-ordered) arbitration only, not contractual arbitration. Runs from the award's FILING with the clerk, not service, so no CCP 1013 add-on. 'May not be extended' (CRC 3.826(a)). CCP 12a(b) by its terms reaches periods in rules, so a weekend/holiday last day rolls forward; filing earlier is safer. If no request is filed, the clerk enters the award as a judgment upon expiration of the 60 days (CRC 3.827(a)).
  • 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 arbitrator filed the award with the clerk on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Friday, May 14, 2027.

  1. Trigger (Date the arbitrator filed the award with the clerk): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 60 calendar days: Friday, May 14, 2027.

Notes

Judicial (court-ordered) arbitration only, not contractual arbitration. Runs from the award's FILING with the clerk, not service, so no CCP 1013 add-on. 'May not be extended' (CRC 3.826(a)). CCP 12a(b) by its terms reaches periods in rules, so a weekend/holiday last day rolls forward; filing earlier is safer. If no request is filed, the clerk enters the award as a judgment upon expiration of the 60 days (CRC 3.827(a)).

Related deadlines

All California civil deadlines

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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.