Be advised that media members have preview access to new unlimited civil actions before the clerk’s office processes them. As a reminder, it is the responsibility of the submitting party to ensure filings submitted for processing do not contain sensitive information that should not be available to the public.
1. What cases are ordered as Mandatory e-file?
Please refer to SDSC Rule 2.1.4.
2. What Branch Locations Accept Civil e-filing?
Central: Civil Limited, Civil Unlimited, Unlawful Detainer, Gun Violence Emergency Protective Orders (Law Enforcement Only) and Gun Violence Restraining Orders Only.
*All Civil Limited and Civil Unlimited cases previously filed in East and South should be filed through the Central branch.
** All Unlawful Detainer cases previously filed in East, North, and South should be filed through the Central branch.
East: Gun Violence Emergency Protective Orders (Law Enforcement Only) and Gun Violence Restraining Orders Only.
North: Civil Limited, Civil Unlimited, and Gun Violence Restraining Orders Only.
South: Gun Violence Emergency Protective Orders (Law Enforcement Only) and Gun Violence Restraining Orders Only.
3. Is there an exception to mandatory electronic filing?
California Rules of Court, rule 2.253, provides that a party may apply for an exemption from e-filing. Optional use forms are available on the Judicial Council's forms page, EFS-007 and EFS-005. Please note that self-represented parties are exempt from mandatory electronic filing.
4. What are the document/signature requirements for electronic filings?
Signature requirements depend on whether a document must be signed under penalty of perjury and/or requires the signature solely of the e-Filer or the e-Filer and another party (i.e., a stipulation.). Please refer to Code of Civil Procedure 1010.6, subdivision (b)(2) and California Rules of Court, rule 2.257 for information on signature requirements.
5. What types of documents are accepted? Are there any formatting requirements?
The e-filing system converts all standard document types (Word, WordPerfect, TIF, JPEG, for example) into PDF upon upload. The Court requires that users bookmark documents with exhibits. This can be done with Adobe Acrobat or similar applications. Please refer to your EFSP's (e-Filing Service Provider's) page for more information on bookmarking.
6. Can multiple attachments/PDFs be submitted for a single filing?
No. Multiple Document PDFs may not be uploaded to a single Filing Type. Each document submitted within the envelope must be entered as its own Filing Type with its appropriate PDF uploaded.
7. Can I scan multiple documents together and upload them as one document?
8. Is there a file size limitation for my filing?
There is a 35 MB limit per document when uploading to the system. There is a 60 MB limit to the total files uploaded per order.
9. How do I know if the court has received my submission?
Contact your e-filing service provider for updates.
10. How do I e-file documents that must be filed for the Court to consider for a hearing scheduled within 48 hours of filing?
If a hearing is set within 48 hours of documents being filed, the litigant is to provide hard copies of documents in court with the e-filing Envelope ID noted in the upper right-hand corner of the document's first page.
11. Are courtesy copies required on any types of filings e-filed?
If a hearing is set within 48 hours of documents filed, the litigant is to provide hard copies of documents in court with the e-Filing Transaction ID noted in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of the document .
Update, and until further notice:
Please note: The Civil Division has transitioned to a new case management system
We request your patience while we work through some challenges with data conversion and technological issues. Due to the transition, we are experiencing a larger-than-normal backlog. Please rest assured that we are making every effort to focus on time-sensitive matters while processing submissions in the order received.
To assist the court and reduce any unnecessary delays in scheduled hearings, please provide courtesy copies of documents needed for future hearing dates. Documents needed for a future hearing may include stipulations, ex parte requests, law and motion oppositions, and replies, not limited to supporting declarations, lodgments, requests for judicial notice, etc., should be submitted directly to the department with the envelope ID included in the upper right-hand corner of the document.
Please avoid contacting the courtroom or business office regarding the status of any filings submitted if they have been pending for less than a month. The decrease in inquiries regarding pending transactions will allow staff the much-needed time required to focus on processing the backlog.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we navigate this transition.
12. How do I submit exhibits for a Notice of Lodgment?
Exhibits to be considered via a Notice of Lodgment shall not be attached to the electronically filed Notice of Lodgment; instead, the submitting party must provide the assigned department with hard copies of the exhibits with a copy of the Notice of Lodgment that includes the e-Filing Envelope ID# noted in the upper right-hand corner.
13. How do I submit a video as evidence or provide a thumb drive with stored images to the court?
Please refer to SDSC Rule 2.5.6. Absent leave of court, the court will not accept for filing any media storage device, such as a Compact Disc (CD), Digital Video Disc (DVD), or flash drive, that is attached as an exhibit to a motion or pleading. Such exhibits must be "lodged" with the court and will be returned to the submitting party, as provided below. This rule does not apply to exhibits identified and marked for the record at the time of trial or other hearing.
14. Are there any specific rules for Construction Defect cases?
For Construction Defect cases, refer to the department's Policies & Procedures on the court's website for further details regarding courtesy copies.
15. Are there any documents or case types that are not eligible for e-filing?
Please refer to CIV-409.
16. How will I receive judicially signed documents returned?
If the Court directs that the Minute Order is the Order of the Court, no order after hearing should be submitted. However, if you submit an order after hearing, the document will be routed to the department for consideration, and if signed, the document will be returned through the e-filing envelope it was submitted in. A Proposed Order submitted in advance of a hearing date will be received stamp, and it is the submitter's responsibility to resubmit the order per the Court's ruling if the parties are directed to provide one.
17. How can I pay a fee the court has assessed (with/without a filing)?
Fees may only be assessed for filings submitted electronically. Fees will only be accepted with a filing.
Further, fees for the Fourth District Court of Appeal cannot be assessed through e-filing. Please contact the Appeals Division of San Diego Superior Court for instructions on submitting fees.
18. Does the San Diego Superior Court offer optional services through OFS??
Currently, optional services are not offered.
19. How do I ensure fees are assessed to prevent the rejection of a filing/envelope?
The clerk processing your transaction will modify the transaction to ensure the appropriate fees are assessed; however, if there are insufficient funds available on the card/account on file, the clerk will have to reject the filing. To avoid this, please ensure your card/account has ample funds to cover any fees that may be incurred.
20. Why am I receiving my Notice of Case Assignment from the court via email and my conformed copies through my E-filing Service Provider (EFSP)?
Unfortunately, when the court transitioned to its new case management system, it no longer had the ability to send court-generated documents back to the submitters through the EFSP.
21. What if I filed my case under the wrong venue/branch location for San Diego?
Unfortunately, we are unable to move envelopes/transactions between branches for processing; therefore, unless there is a legal reason why we cannot accept the filing, the clerk's office will process the new case and immediately transfer the case to the correct location to preserve any statutory issues. This will result in an order that will be mailed to the plaintiff/petitioner, along with a new Notice of Case Assignment, and case number.
22. How do I enter Does and Roes?
Do not enter "Does" and "Roes" as parties. You are only required to enter named parties in the case.
23. Do the parties I enter have to match the Complaint verbatim?
Yes. You need to enter the party exactly as it appears on the Complaint. Similar to the issuance of a Summons, your entries for new parties must mirror the Complaint/Cross-Complaint, etc.
24. What do I do if my party is named in the action with an "aka", "dba", etc.?
Enter the Alternate Name by selecting the appropriate name from the drop-down menu. The only exception is adding an individual as the party with a DBA, as the Organization Name field will not display.
25. When filling out the firm information, can I enter my own email rather than my attorney's email if I would like the court to contact me?
Yes. You may enter either your attorney's email address or your email address, depending upon whom you would like the court to contact regarding your filing.
26. Should I add punctuation when adding a party name to a case?
No. Punctuation should not be included as part of a party's name. The court will delete any commas, periods, etc., which adds processing time to each transaction.
27. My case is a Mandatory e-filing case. Why am I receiving notices from the Court via US Mail?
Notices generated by the Court's case management system are mailed via US Mail rather than electronically served to all parties.
28. I previously submitted a filing that had a filing fee associated with it. I now need to file a corrected version of that filing. Will I be assessed a new fee?
Certain documents have fees associated with them regardless of the correction being made; however, for filings such as a corrected/amended answer or motion, please ensure you are selecting the correct filing type. In most instances, your selection should be entitled/categorized as "Corrected" or "Amended."
29. Our fees are exempt as a government entity. How do we ensure that they will not be assessed incorrectly?
Please refer to SDSC Rule 2.1.2 (H). Any party who is exempt from filing fees pursuant to Gov. Code § 6103 must so indicate on the first page of the document submitted for filing and must specifically indicate which parties are exempt. This information must appear in the upper right-hand corner of the document, above the case caption, in an area that will not interfere with the clerk affixing a file stamp.
Additionally, Gov. Code § 6103 does not exempt a government agency from depositing jury fees. To ensure your Notice of Jury Deposit is processed and fees are assessed, the submitter must change the payment type for the filing from "wavier" to a credit card or bank account; otherwise, the filing will be rejected for failing to submit filing fees.
30. How are fees assessed for stipulations?
When a stipulation is submitted to the court, staff will review the document to ensure all parties who are stipulating have paid first paper fees. If first paper fees are due, the fee(s) will be collected from the party submitting the document. If first paper fees are not due, the standard stipulation and order fee will be charged.
31. How do I request a refund for fees I was overcharged for?
You may request a refund by submitting the Request for Payment of Trust Funds/Refund, CIV-180. Electronic submission of the CIV-180 will not be accepted; you may mail your request to the appropriate business office.