Kern Superior Court Electronic Filing Rules

The listed documents and filings cannot be submitted electronically and must be filed in hard copy format.

Certain documents/filings are not eligible for submission through electronic filing and must be submitted in hard copy format. These documents include: 1. Any and all documents deemed sealed by California Rules of Court or statute; 2. Any and all documents requested or intended to be sealed by the Court; 3. Subpoenaed documents; 4. Bonds; 5. Undertakings; 6. Civil Bench Warrants; 7. Original Contracts/Instruments; 8. Over-sized Documents/Exhibits; 9. Sister-State Judgments; 10. Affidavits re Real Property of Small Value; 11. Original Wills/Codicils; 12. Any appeal-related documents, including notices of appeal; and 13. Electronic evidence.

Applies to

Small claims document

Small Claims documents may be filed electronically through an EFSP, in person, or by mail.

E-Filing Small Claims documents may be done through Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSP). Click here to E-File. In person at the Courthouse where your claim is to be heard. By mail to the appropriate Courthouse. Provide the original Plaintiff’s Claim and Order plus one (1) copy for each Defendant and you. Provide a self -addressed stamped envelope so the Clerk can mail copies back to you.

Applies to

Juvenile justice documents

The SharePoint system has five designated filing folders: Probation Reports, STRTP, Warrants, WIC777/778, and Orders.

There will be five corresponding folders titled: (1) Probation Reports, (2) STRTP,(3) Warrants, (4) WIC777/778, (5) Orders.

No documents other than those listed in the order may be filed electronically.

No other documents maybe filed electronically.

Applies to

Juvenile justice documents

Documents filed through SharePoint in juvenile justice matters are subject to statutory and California Rules of Court confidentiality requirements.

All documents filed through the SharePoint system in Juvenile Justice matters are subject to the confidentiality provisions of Welfare and Institutions Code section 827 and California Rules of Court, rule 5.552.

Applies to

Juvenile justice documents

SharePoint access is restricted to persons authorized under WIC section 827, and the Probation Department may not share access with unauthorized persons or entities.

Access to filed documents through the SharePoint system shall be restricted to persons authorized to access juvenile case files under Welfare and Institutions Code section 827. The Probation Department shall not disseminate or share access to filed documents with persons or entities not authorized under Welfare and Institutions Code section 827.

Beginning at 11:59 p.m. on August 24, 2025, the Court will not accept electronic filings through File & Serve until further notice.

Effective Sunday, August 24, 2025, at 11:59 p.m., and until further notice the Court will no longer accept electronic filings via File & Serve.

Beginning August 25, 2025, only paper filings will be accepted, except that probate, civil, and family law filers may use third-party fax filing through a fax filing agency complying with Local Rule 1.9.

Therefore, beginning on Monday, August 25, 2025, the Court will only accept paper filings, with the mflmm#wN—¥OOQNOU1AOONAO exception of probate, civil and family law, which may also utilize third party fax filing NNNNMNNNNAAAAAAAAAA through a fax filing agency in compliance with Local Rule 1.9.

Beginning October 6, 2025 at 8:00 A.M., represented parties must file all court documents electronically through the Court's eCourt portal, and the court will not accept their paper filings through a drop box, mail, facsimile, or filing window.

Effective Monday, October 6, 2025, at 8:00 A.M., the court will no longer accept paper filings , either through a court drop-box, the United States Postal Service, facsimile, or filing window, from represented parties. Therefore, consistent with Local Rule 1.10, beginning on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 8:00 A.M. , all court documents filed by represented parties must be electronically filed through the Court's eCourt portal.

Applies to

Complaint concerning judicial or subordinate judicial officer

Electronic filing is unavailable for complaints concerning Judicial Officers or Subordinate Judicial Officers.

Electronic filing is not available for complaints concerning Judicial Officers or Subordinate Judicial Officers.

Applies to

Complaint concerning judicial or subordinate judicial officer

A complaint concerning a Judicial Officer or Subordinate Judicial Officer must be mailed to the court at the specified Presiding Judge-Department 1 address.

Each complaint must be mailed to the Court, to the attention of the Presiding Judge-Department 1, 1415 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301.

Electronic filing is mandatory for filings by represented parties in the listed case types, but not for Habeas Corpus proceedings.

As authorized by Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) section 1010.6(d) and California Rules of Court (CRC), rule 2.253(b)(1), electronic filing (E-File) will be mandatory for all filings by parties represented by counsel in the following case types: Limited and Unlimited Civil, Family Law, Probate, cases affecting parentage (adoptions, surrogacies, abandonments, terminations of parental rights, and emancipations), cases related to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Civil Writ cases, and Unlawful Detainers. Habeas Corpus proceedings are not subject to the mandatory e-filing requirement.

Documents must be filed through an EFSP listed on the Kern Superior Court website.

Documents must be filed using an Electronic Filing Service Provider (EFSP) located on the court’s website at www.kern.courts.ca.gov.

Applies to

Foreign registrations and filings requiring notarization certification or apostilles

Foreign registrations and filings requiring notarization, certification, or an apostille must be electronically filed, with originals lodged at least 10 days before the hearing.

Foreign Registrations and/or filings requiring notarizations, certification, or apostilles must be electronically filed. However, originals must be lodged at least ten (10) days before any hearing on the matter.

Applies to

Application for entry of judgment

Applications for entry of judgment containing an instrument, contract, or written obligation must be electronically filed, while the original instrument must be submitted to the clerk by conventional methods.

Applications for entry of a judgment that include an instrument, contract, or written obligation must be electronically filed and the original instrument must be filed at the Clerk’s office via conventional methods.

Applies to

Administrative record

The party lodging a CEQA administrative record must file it electronically and serve a Notice of Manual Filing.

The party lodging the administrative record shall file electronically and serve a Notice of Manual Filing for the administrative record.

All electronic filings must be electronically signed under California Rules of Court rule 2.257.

All electronic filings shall be electronically signed as provided in California Rules of Court, rule 2.257.

Electronic filing is prohibited for criminal and juvenile case documents other than charging documents.

No other electronic filing is permitted for criminal or juvenile cases, other than charging documents.

Applies to

Charging documents

Electronically filed charging documents must comply with Local Rule 1.10.

All electronically filed charging documents are subject to Local Rule 1.10.

Applies to

Application for entry of judgment

A copy of the instrument, contract, or written obligation may be filed electronically in an application for entry of judgment.

As of the effective date of this Standing Order, a copy of the instrument, contract, or written obligation may be filed electronically.

Applies to

Application for entry of judgment

The clerk is authorized to accept a copy of the instrument, contract, or written obligation submitted with an application for entry of judgment.

Instead, the clerk is authorized to accept a copy of the instrument, contract, or written obligation submitted with the request/application for entry of judgment.

Paper filings received through the United States Postal Service and postmarked before October 6, 2025 will be accepted for filing.

Any paper filings received via United States Postal Service that are post-marked before October 6, 2025, shall be accepted for filing.

Applies to

Probate and family law documents

Probate and family law documents may be filed by facsimile through a qualifying fax filing agency.

Notwithstanding Electronic Filing requirements in California and Kern County Local Rules of Court, the Superior Court of California, County of Kern, allows the filing of probate and family law documents by facsimile transmission through the use of a fax filing agency only as defined in California Rule of Court, rule 2.301(7). California Rules of Court, rules 2.300 et seq. applicable to fax filings through a fax filing agency apply.

The mandatory e-filing rule applies to attorneys, justice partners, and vendors unless a stated exception applies; the listed groups are not required to e-file but are encouraged to participate.

Except as otherwise specified, this requirement is specific to all attorneys, justice partners, and vendors. Represented parties in Habeas Corpus proceedings, attorneys in proceedings filed under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, attorneys in proceedings filed under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, attorneys representing minors in Family Law or Probate proceedings, and self-represented litigants are not required to E-File but are encouraged to participate.

Electronic filers and servers must comply with the applicable statutory and California Rules of Court electronic filing and service requirements.

Unless this rule provides otherwise, parties filing and serving documents electronically shall comply with all the requirements set forth in Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6 and California Rules of Court, rules 2.252 et seq.

A party may request exemption from mandatory electronic filing and service for undue hardship or significant prejudice by serving and filing the request and proposed order; pending the order, an attorney may file in paper form.

An attorney or party who is required to file and receive documents electronically under this rule may request to be excused from those requirements by showing undue hardship or significant prejudice. An attorney or party requesting to be excused from mandatory electronic filing should serve on all parties and file with the court a Request for Exemption from Mandatory Electronic Filing and Service (Judicial Council Form EFS-007), with Proposed Order (Judicial Council Form EFS-008). Until an order on the Request for Exemption from Mandatory Electronic Filing is issued, an attorney will be allowed to file documents in paper form.

Digital signatures are authorized for filed documents, are not required solely for electronic filing, have the same effect as manual signatures, and must comply with Government Code section 16.5.

While not required solely for purposes of electronic filing under California Rules of Court, rule 2.257, digital signatures on documents filed with the Court are authorized and have the same force and effect as manual signatures. All digital signatures must comply with the requirements of Government Code section 16.5.

Applies to

Misdemeanor informal arraignment form

At the court's discretion, attorneys may submit the informal arraignment form electronically by email or facsimile, by U.S. mail, or at the appropriate Clerk’s Office location.

At the Court’s discretion, attorneys who represent misdemeanor defendants who are not in custody, may arraign their clients by electronic mail, U.S. Mail, facsimile, or by submitting the form at the Clerk’s Office location where the case is initially scheduled to be heard.

Applies to

Charging document

Electronic filing of charging documents is permitted.

STO-23-0008 Permissive Electronic Filing of Charging Documents

Small Claims lawsuits may be filed electronically through the Kern County court website using File@ Home.

If you would like to file your Small Claims lawsuit electronically please go to the following website. www.kern.courts.ca.gov select File@ Home and select Small Claims to begin the interview process.

A litigant may choose online filing at the end of the interview and must pay the applicable filing fees.

Filing Online – you may choose to file your case online at the end of the interview and pay the filing fees.

A litigant may alternatively file the case in person at the filing counter or by U.S. mail.

Filing in Person or by U.S. Mail – you may also choose to file your case in person at the filing counter or by mail.

Applies to

Juvenile justice documents

Beginning July 13, 2026, the court permits the Kern County Probation Department to electronically file specified juvenile justice documents.

Beginning July 13th, 2026, the Kern County Superior Court will accept the electronic filing of the following documents in Juvenile Justice matters by the Kern County Probation Department: probation reports, including readiness memoranda, disposition reports, and other court-ordered reports; Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) placement requests and orders; warrants; notices under Welfare and Institutions Code sections 777 and 778, orders including but not limited to; orders for home placement, orders for mental health counseling, orders for blood tests, orders to amend the record, and other court-ordered filings.

A defendant's signature on documents transmitted electronically is accepted and deemed an original signature for all purposes.

A defendant’s signature on documents that are transmitted electronically will be accepted by the Court and deemed an original signature for all purposes.

Applies to

Charging documents

The Kern County District Attorney’s Office may electronically file charging documents and supporting case documents in adult criminal and juvenile justice cases.

The Superior Court of California, County of Kern will start accepting the electronic filing of charging documents in criminal cases filed by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. Specifically, in adult criminal and juvenile justice cases, the complaint, information, indictment, petition, and supporting case documents, may be filed electronically.

Applies to

Charging documents

Electronic filing of charging documents in adult criminal cases is accepted effective July 17, 2023.

The acceptance of charging documents in adult criminal cases will be effective July 17, 2023.

Applies to

Juvenile charging documents

Electronic filing of juvenile charging documents filed under Welfare and Institutions Code sections 601 or 602 is accepted effective July 31, 2023.

The acceptance of charging documents in juvenile cases (Le. petitions) filed pursuant to Welfare & Institutions Code sections 601 or 602 will be effective July 31, 2023.