2024 California Rules of Court
Rule 10.820. Acceptance of credit cards by the superior courts
(a) Delegation of authority to Administrative Director
The Administrative Director is authorized, under rule 10.80, to approve on behalf of the Judicial Council requests from the superior courts to accept credit cards for the payment of court fees or to impose a charge for the use of credit cards. The authority is given to the Judicial Council by Government Code section 6159.
(Subd (a) amended effective January 1, 2016; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(b) Standards for use of credit cards
The Administrative Director is authorized to approve requests under (a) for acceptance of credit cards if all of the following are true:
(1) The court (A) imposes a fee for the use of the credit card, or (B) demonstrates that the cost of acceptance of credit cards is not greater than the cost of acceptance of other means of payment of fees, or (C) demonstrates that it can absorb the cost of the acceptance of the credit card;
(2) The court has obtained a credit card acceptance contract that is competitive with other possible contracts the court could obtain; and
(3) The court provides alternative means for a person to pay court fees.
(Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2016; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(c) Standards for charge for the use of credit cards
The Administrative Director is authorized to approve requests under (a) for the imposition of a charge for the use of credit cards if both of the following are true:
(1) The proposed fee is not greater than the cost for acceptance of a credit card; and
(2) The proposed fee would not result in an undue hardship on people wishing to use credit cards for payment of fees.
(Subd (c) amended effective January 1, 2016; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(d) Referral to Judicial Council
The Administrative Director may refer any request under (a) to the Judicial Council for its action.
(Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2016; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(e) Existing approvals ratified
The approval of any board of supervisors for any superior court to accept credit cards or charge a fee for the use of credit cards that was effective as of December 31, 1999, is ratified by the council as of January 1, 2000.
(Subd (e) amended effective January 1, 2009; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
Rule 10.820 amended effective January 1, 2016; adopted as rule 6.703 effective January 1, 2000; previously amended and renumbered as rule 10.820 effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective January 1, 2009.