Vexatious litigant granted leave to proceed: defendants' pleading due 10 days after service of the order permitting filing
10 days after date the defendant was served with the presiding judge's order permitting the vexatious litigant's filing, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 391.7(c).
Rule text
If the clerk mistakenly files the litigation without the order, any party may file with the clerk and serve, or the presiding justice or presiding judge may direct the clerk to file and serve, on the plaintiff and other parties a notice stating that the plaintiff is a vexatious litigant subject to a prefiling order as set forth in subdivision (a). The filing of the notice shall automatically stay the litigation. The litigation shall be automatically dismissed unless the plaintiff within 10 days of the filing of that notice obtains an order from the presiding justice or presiding judge permitting the filing of the litigation as set forth in subdivision (b). If the presiding justice or presiding judge issues an order permitting the filing, the stay of the litigation shall remain in effect, and the defendants need not plead, until 10 days after the defendants are served with a copy of the order.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date the defendant was served with the presiding judge's order permitting the vexatious litigant's filing): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 10 calendar days: Monday, November 16, 2026.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 391.7(c)
If the clerk mistakenly files the litigation without the order, any party may file with the clerk and serve, or the presiding justice or presiding judge may direct the clerk to file and serve, on the plaintiff and other parties a notice stating that the plaintiff is a vexatious litigant subject to a prefiling order as set forth in subdivision (a). The filing of the notice shall automatically stay the litigation. The litigation shall be automatically dismissed unless the plaintiff within 10 days of the filing of that notice obtains an order from the presiding justice or presiding judge permitting the filing of the litigation as set forth in subdivision (b). If the presiding justice or presiding judge issues an order permitting the filing, the stay of the litigation shall remain in effect, and the defendants need not plead, until 10 days after the defendants are served with a copy 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
- Service-triggered; CCP 1013 / 1010.6 extensions apply by their terms. Conservative: plead within the unextended 10 days.
- 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 defendant was served with the presiding judge's order permitting the vexatious litigant's filing on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Thursday, March 25, 2027.
- Trigger (Date the defendant was served with the presiding judge's order permitting the vexatious litigant's filing): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 10 calendar days: Thursday, March 25, 2027.
Notes
Service-triggered; CCP 1013 / 1010.6 extensions apply by their terms. Conservative: plead within the unextended 10 days.
Related deadlines
- Answer, demurrer, or motion to strike in response to complaint (30 days after)
- Unlawful detainer: response to complaint (10 court days after)
- Response to cross-complaint (30 days after)
- Response to amended complaint (or amended cross-complaint) (30 days after)
- Amend or answer after ruling on demurrer (10 days after)
- Demurrer hearing to be set within 35 days of filing (35 days after)
- Anti-SLAPP special motion to strike (60 days after)
- Serve cross-complaint on new parties and file proof of service (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.