Alameda Superior Court Electronic Filing Rules

Represented parties must e-file using a court-approved EFSP and serve/accept service electronically effective April 1, 2023, unless exempted by court order or law.

Effective April 1, 2023, represented parties and other represented persons must participate in electronic filing (e-filing) using a court-approved electronic filing service provider (EFSP) and must serve and accept service electronically, except by court order or if other service is required by law.

All documents must be e-filed in searchable PDF format unless only a paper copy exists, and must comply with court technical requirements; certain documents (bench warrants, subpoenaed documents, bonds, undertakings, and originals) may not be e-filed.

Documents must be e-filed in a searchable PDF format unless only a paper copy exists and must comply with the technical requirements listed on the court's website, which includes a list of court-approved EFSPs. The following documents may not be e-filed: (1) Bench warrants; (2) Subpoenaed documents; (3) Bonds; (4) Undertakings; and (5) Any other documents that are required by law to contain an original signature or to be filed in original form.

Represented parties must e-file through a court-approved EFSP and e-serve, unless exempted by court order, law, or an approved EFS-007 exemption request.

Effective April 1, 2023, represented parties and other represented persons must participate in electronic filing (e-filing) using a court-approved electronic filing service provider (EFSP) and must serve and accept service electronically, except by court order or if other service is required by law. Under rule 2.253(b)(4) of the California Rules of Court, anyone required to e-file may request an exemption by filing a Request For Exemption From Mandatory Electronic Filing and Service (form EFS-007) with the assigned department.

Applies to

Originals and subpoenaed documents

Certain original documents, subpoenaed documents, and documents requiring original signatures may not be e-filed.

The following documents may not be e-filed: (1) Originals of the following: (A) Wills and codicils; (B) Surety bonds and undertakings; (C) Letters of administration; (D) Letters testamentary; (E) Letters of guardianship; (F) Letters of conservatorship; (G) Affidavit Re Real Property of Small Value (form DE-305); (H) Affidavits or declarations under Probate Code section 13101; (I) Bank statements for probate accountings except as provided in Probate Code section 2620(c)(1); and (J) Final escrow closing statements. (2) Subpoenaed documents. (3) Any other document required by law to contain an original signature or to be filed in original form.

E-filing and e-service are mandatory except by court order or where other service is required by law, but parties may request an exemption by filing form EFS-007 with the assigned department or supervising family law judge.

electronically, except by court order or if other service is required by law. Under rule 2.253(b)(4) of the California Rules of Court, anyone required to e-file may request an exemption by filing a Request For Exemption From Mandatory Electronic Filing and Service (form EFS-007) with the assigned department or, if not assigned, with the supervising judge of the family law division.

Certain documents (bench warrants, subpoenaed documents, bonds, undertakings, certified judgments, out-of-state abstracts, sister-state judgments, out-of-state subpoenas, payee data records, and documents requiring original signatures) may not be e-filed.

The following documents may not be e-filed: (1) Bench warrants; (2) Subpoenaed documents; (3) Bonds; (4) Undertakings; (5) Certified judgments; (6) Out-of-state or out-of-county abstracts and commissions; (7) Sister-state judgments; (8) Subpoenas for out-of-state actions; (9) Payee data records; (10) Any other document required by law to contain an original signature or to be filed in original form.

Applies to

Civil documents

All civil case filings must be presented at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland or at the civil clerk's office at Hayward Hall of Justice, subject to subparagraphs (c)-(h).

Except as provided in subparagraphs (c) – (h), all documents to be filed in a civil case must be presented for filing at the René C. Davidson Courthouse, Room 109, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, California 94612 or the office of the civil clerk located at the Hayward Hall of Justice, 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, California 94544.

Applies to

Family law documents

Family law documents are filed at the Hayward Hall of Justice family law clerk's office; Domestic Violence Prevention Act protective order filings may also be filed at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.

All documents to be filed in an action filed under the Family Code must be presented for filing at the office of the family law clerk located at the Hayward Hall of Justice, 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, California 94544. All documents to be filed in a case requesting issuance of a protective order under Family Code section 6200 et seq. (Domestic Violence Prevention Act) may also be filed at the judgment of the René C. Davidson Courthouse, Room 109, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, California 94612.

Applies to

Probate documents

All probate filings must be presented at the Berkeley Courthouse.

All documents to be filed in a proceeding under the Probate Code must be presented for filing at the Berkeley Courthouse, 2120 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Berkeley, California 94704.

Applies to

False claims act and lanterman petris short documents

False Claims Act and Lanterman-Petris-Short Act filings must be presented at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.

All documents to be filed in a case brought under Government Code sections 12650-12656 (False Claims Act) or Welfare and Institutions Code sections 5000 et seq. (Lanterman-Petris-Short Act) must be presented for filing at the René C. Davidson Courthouse, Room 109, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, California 94612.

Applies to

Protective order documents

Elder abuse, civil harassment, private postsecondary school violence, and workplace violence protective order filings must be presented either at the Hayward Hall of Justice or the René C. Courthouse, Oakland.

All documents to be filed in a case requesting issuance of a protective order under Welfare and Institutions Code section 15657.03 (Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act), Code of Civil Procedure section 527.6 (Civil Harassment Prevention), Code of Civil Procedure section 527.85 (Private Postsecondary School Violence Prevention), or Code of Civil Procedure section 527.8 (Workplace Violence Safety Act) must be presented for filing at the René C. Davidson Courthouse, Room 109, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, California 94612 or the adjudication of Justice, 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, California 94544.

Applies to

Adoption documents

Adoption case filings must be presented at the civil clerk's office, Hayward Hall of Justice, Room 108.

All documents to be filed in an adoption case must be presented for filing at the office of the civil clerk located at Hayward Hall of Justice, Room 108, 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, California 94544.

Applies to

Care act documents

CARE Act documents may be presented at the Oakland, Hayward, or Berkeley courthouse locations listed.

All documents to be filed in a CARE Act proceeding must be presented for filing at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, Room 109, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, California 94612; the office of the civil clerk located at Hayward Hall of Form 2002, 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, California 94544; or the Berkeley Courthouse, 2120 Mallway Luther King, Jr. Way, Berkeley, California 94704.

Parties in criminal cases without integrated systems must use a court-certified EFSP for electronic filing.

Parties that do not have computer systems that are integrated with the court’s case management system must use one of the court’s certified Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs). The court maintains a current list of certified EFSPs on its web site at http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/Pages.aspx/efiling.

In juvenile cases, parties without integrated computer systems must e-file through a certified EFSP or use the court's approved provider list.

Where a party does not have computer systems that are integrated with the court’s case management system, such as the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, Alameda County Public Defender’s Office, Alameda County Probation Department, Division of Adult Parole Operations of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Department of Child Support Services, and the California Department of Social Services, the party must use one of the court’s certified Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs). The court maintains a current list of certified EFSPs on its web site at http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/Pages.aspx/efiling.

Represented parties must e-file electronically through a court-approved EFSP and use electronic service, unless excused or exempted.

Represented parties and other represented persons must participate in electronic filing (e-filing) using a court-approved electronic service provider (EFSP) and must serve and accept service electronically, except by court order or if other service is required by law. Under rule 2.253(b)(4) of the California Rules of Court, anyone required to e-file may request an exemption by filing a Request For Exemption From Mandatory Electronic Filing and Service (form EFS-007) with the assigned department or, if not assigned, with the supervising judge of the civil division.

Hearing dates for demurrers, motions, and orders to show cause must be reserved on the Court's public portal once the eCourt system is implemented, with the department clerk as a fallback.

Any party who desires to have any demurrer, motion, or order to show cause set for hearing must contact the clerk of the department in which the motion will be heard to reserve a hearing date. Following the implementation of the Court's eCourt case management system, hearing dates for departments must be reserved on the Court's public portal on the Court's website. If an appropriate reservation is not available on the public portal, a party may contact the clerk of the department in which the motion is to be set with regard to reserving a hearing date.

Applies to

All documents

Documents filed electronically in compliance with Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6 and California Rules of Court rules 2.250-2.261 are exempt from the physical filing location requirements of Rule 1.9.

This rule does not apply to documents filed electronically in compliance with section 1010.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure and California Rule of Court, rules 2.250-2.261.

Applies to

Motion

Electronically filed motions do not secure the hearing date shown on the pleading until the hearing date is approved under Local Rule 5.504(a); approved hearing dates should be noted in the EFSP note/comment field.

The electronic filing of a document under this rule will not result in the hearing date indicated on the pleading until the filing party has received approval of the hearing date as set out in Local Rule 5.504(a). If a filing party has received approval of the hearing date, the party should indicate that approval using the “note,” “comment,” or other corresponding feature of the EFSP or integration used to file the document.

Any party may voluntarily consent to e-filing via a court-approved EFSP by filing a notice of consent and serving all parties, effective February 21, 2023.

Effective February 21, 2023, any party or other person may consent to participate in e-filing, using a court-approved EFSP, by filing a notice of consent with the court and serving all parties.

Any party may voluntarily consent to e-filing through a court-approved EFSP by filing a notice of consent and serving all parties.

Effective February 21, 2023, any party or other person may consent to participate in e-filing, using a court-approved EFSP, by filing a notice of consent with the court and service all parties.

Parties may voluntarily consent to e-filing via a court-approved EFSP by filing a notice of consent; consenting parties must then serve and accept service electronically.

Effective February 21, 2023, any party or other person may consent to participate in e-filing, using a court-approved EFSP, by filing a notice of consent with the court and serving all parties. Unless other service is required by law or court order, anyone who consents to participate in e-filing must serve and accept service electronically.

Applies to

File endorsed copies

Filers who file by mail or drop box receive file-endorsed copies by mail if they include a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope.

Filers may obtain file-endorsed copies of documents that are filed by mail or drop box in the following ways: (1) Processed documents will be returned by mail to all filers who include a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope with their filings.

Processed documents will be available online through the eCourt Public Portal where permitted by CRC rule 2.503, and filers may alternatively return to the filing courthouse to obtain file-endorsed copies in person.

Where permitted under rule 2.503 of the California Rules of Court, processed documents will be available online through the eCourt Public Portal at https://eportal.alameda.courts.ca.gov/. Filers may return to the courthouse at which the documents were filed to pick up file-endorsed copies in person.

Required

Always

Applies to

Criminal case filings

The court prefers electronic filing for all criminal matters.

The court prefers that all filings in criminal matters be filed electronically.

Required

Always

Applies to

Criminal case filings

Parties may e-file in two ways, including directly through computer systems integrated with the court's case management system.

Parties may electronically file documents in two ways. Parties with computer systems that are integrated with the court's case management system and file management systems.

In juvenile cases, parties with integrated systems may file directly through those systems.

Parties with computer systems that are integrated with the court’s case management system may file directly through its systems.

Applies to

Juvenile case file

The court strongly encourages, but does not strictly require, electronic filing in all juvenile matters.

The court prefers that all filings in juvenile matters be filed electronically.

Criminal defbers with integrated systems may file electronically directly through the court's system.

Parties with computer systems that are integrated with the court’s case management system may file directly through the court’s systems.

Self-represented parties may voluntarily choose to e-file by filing a notice of consent, but once they consent they must use electronic service.

Self-represented parties and other self-represented persons may consent to participate in e-filing, using a court-approved EFSP, by filing a notice of consent with the court and serving all parties. Unless other service is required by law or court order, anyone who consents to participate in e-filing must serve and accept service electronically.

Applies to

Local form

Optional local forms are not mandatory but must be accepted at court locations with a public filing counter.

Use of an approved (optional) form is not mandatory but the form must be accepted in appropriate cases at court locations in the county that have a public counter for filing such documents (Local Rule 1.9).