Rule 2.504. Limitations and conditions
Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.504
Current text effective January 1, 2007.
#(a) Means of access
A court that maintains records in electronic form must provide electronic access to those records by means of a network or software that is based on industry standards or is in the public domain.
(Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
#(b) Official record
Unless electronically certified by the court, a trial court record available by electronic access is not the official record of the court.
(Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
#(c) Conditions of use by persons accessing records
A court may condition electronic access to its records on:
#(1) The user's consent to access the records only as instructed by the court; and
#(2) The user's consent to the court's monitoring of access to its records.
The court must give notice of these conditions, in any manner it deems appropriate. The court may deny access to a member of the public for failure to comply with either of these conditions of use.
(Subd (c) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
#(d) Notices to persons accessing records
The court must give notice of the following information to members of the public accessing its records electronically, in any manner it deems appropriate:
#(1) The identity of the court staff member to be contacted about the requirements for accessing the court's records electronically.
#(2) That copyright and other proprietary rights may apply to information in a case file, absent an express grant of additional rights by the holder of the copyright or other proprietary right. This notice must advise the public that:
#(3) Whether electronic records are the official records of the court. The notice must describe the procedure and any fee required for obtaining a certified copy of an official record of the court.
#(4) That any person who willfully destroys or alters any court record maintained in electronic form is subject to the penalties imposed by Government Code section 6201.
(Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
#(e) Access policy
The court must post a privacy policy on its public-access Web site to inform members of the public accessing its electronic records of the information it collects regarding access transactions and the uses that the court may make of the collected information.
(Subd (e) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
#History
Rule 2.504 amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007; adopted as rule 2074 effective July 1, 2002.
What this rule requires
Chambers Communication Rules
(1) The identity of the court staff member to be contacted about the requirements for accessing the court's records electronically.
Document Filing Requirements
The court must give notice of these conditions, in any manner it deems appropriate.
For members of the public accessing court records electronically, the court must give notice that copyright or proprietary rights may apply and that use is limited to what law or court order permits, with inconsistent use prohibited.
The rule's wording
(2) That copyright and other proprietary rights may apply to information in a case file, absent an express grant of additional rights by the holder of the copyright or other proprietary right. This notice must advise the public that: (A) Use of such information in a case file is permissible only to the extent permitted by law or court order; and (B) Any use inconsistent with proprietary rights is prohibited.
(3) Whether electronic records are the official records of the court. The notice must describe the procedure and any fee required for obtaining a certified copy of an official record of the court.
(4) That any person who willfully destroys or alters any court record maintained in electronic form is subject to the penalties imposed by Government Code section 6201.
The court must post a privacy policy on its public-access Web site to inform members of the public accessing its electronic records of the information it collects regarding access transactions and the uses that the court may make of the collected information.
Official text: courts.ca.gov , checked October 19, 2026.