Image of the Judicial Council of California Seal

California Rules of Court

(Revised January 1, 2024)

printer-friendly version

Back to Master Table of Contents

Title 2. Trial Court Rules
Division 1. General Provisions
Chapter 1. Title and Application
Rule 2.1. Title2.251
Rule 2.2. Application
Chapter 2. Definitions and Scope of Rules
Rule 2.3. Definitions
Rule 2.10. Scope of rules
Chapter 3. Timing
Rule 2.20. Application for an order extending time
Chapter 4. Sanctions
Rule 2.30. Sanctions for rules violations in civil cases
Division 2. Papers and Forms to Be Filed
Chapter 1. Papers
Rule 2.100. Form and format of papers presented for filing in the trial courts
Rule 2.102. One-sided paper
Rule 2.103. Size, quality, and color of papers
Rule 2.104. Font size; printing
Rule 2.105. Font style
Rule 2.106. Font color
Rule 2.107. Margins
Rule 2.108. Spacing and numbering of lines
Rule 2.109. Page numbering
Rule 2.110. Footer
Rule 2.111. Format of first page
Rule 2.112. Separate causes of action, counts, and defenses
Rule 2.113. Binding
Rule 2.114. Exhibits
Rule 2.115. Hole punching
Rule 2.116. Changes on face of paper
Rule 2.117. Conformed copies of papers
Rule 2.118. Acceptance of papers for filing
Rule 2.119. Exceptions for forms
Chapter 2. General Rules on Forms
Rule 2.130. Application
Rule 2.131. Recycled paper [Repealed]
Rule 2.132. True copy certified
Rule 2.133. Hole punching
Rule 2.134. Forms longer than one page
Rule 2.135. Filing of handwritten or hand-printed forms
Rule 2.140. Judicial Council forms
Rule 2.141. Local court forms
Chapter 3. Other Forms
Rule 2.150. Authorization for computer-generated or typewritten forms for proof of service of summons and complaint
Division 3. Filing and Service
Chapter 1. General Provisions
Rule 2.200. Service and filing of notice of change of address or other contact information
Rule 2.210. Drop box for filing documents
Chapter 2. Filing and Service by Electronic Means
Rule 2.250. Construction and definitions
Rule 2.251. Electronic service
Rule 2.252. General rules on electronic filing of documents
Rule 2.253. Permissive electronic filing, mandatory electronic filing, and electronic filing by court order
Rule 2.254. Responsibilities of court
Rule 2.255. Contracts with and responsibilities of electronic filing service providers and electronic filing managers
Rule 2.256. Responsibilities of electronic filer
Rule 2.257. Requirements for signatures on documents
Rule 2.258. Payment of filing fees in civil actions
Rule 2.259. Actions by court on receipt of electronic filing
Rule 2.261. Authorization for courts to continue modifying forms for the purpose of electronic filing and forms generation
Chapter 3. Filing and Service by Fax
Rule 2.300. Application
Rule 2.301. Definitions
Rule 2.302. Compliance with the rules on the form and format of papers
Rule 2.303. Filing through fax filing agency
Rule 2.304. Direct filing
Rule 2.305. Requirements for signatures on documents
Rule 2.306. Service of papers by fax transmission
Division 4. Court Records
Chapter 1. General Provisions
Rule 2.400. Court records
Chapter 2. Access to Electronic Trial Court Records
Article 1. General Provisions
Rule 2.500. Statement of purpose
Rule 2.501. Application, scope, and information to the public
Rule 2.502. Definitions
Article 2. Public Access
Rule 2.503. Application and scope
Rule 2.504. Limitations and conditions
Rule 2.505. Contracts with vendors
Rule 2.506. Fees for electronic access
Rule 2.507. Electronic access to court calendars, indexes, and registers of actions
Article 3. Remote Access by a Party, Party's Designee, Party's Attorney, Court-Appointed Person, or Authorized Person Working in a Legal Organization or Qualified Legal Services Project
Rule 2.515. Application and scope
Rule 2.516. Remote access to extent feasible
Rule 2.517. Remote access by a party
Rule 2.518. Remote access by a party's designee
Rule 2.519. Remote access by a party's attorney
Rule 2.520. Remote access by persons working in the same legal organization as a party's attorney
Rule 2.521. Remote access by a court-appointed person
Rule 2.522. Remote access by persons working in a qualified legal services project providing brief legal services
Rule 2.523. Identity verification, identity management, and user access
Rule 2.524. Security of confidential information
Rule 2.525. Searches; unauthorized access
Rule 2.526. Audit trails
Rule 2.527. Additional conditions of access
Rule 2.528. Termination of remote access
Article 4. Remote Access by Government Entities
Rule 2.540. Application and scope
Rule 2.541. Identity verification, identity management, and user access
Rule 2.542. Security of confidential information
Rule 2.543. Audit trails
Rule 2.544. Additional conditions of access
Rule 2.545. Termination of remote access
Chapter 3. Sealed Records
Rule 2.550. Sealed records
Rule 2.551. Procedures for filing records under seal
Chapter 4. Records in False Claims Act Cases
Rule 2.570. Filing False Claims Act records under seal
Rule 2.571. Procedures for filing records under seal in a False Claims Act case
Rule 2.572. Ex parte application for an extension of time
Rule 2.573. Unsealing of records and management of False Claims Act cases
Chapter 5. Name Change Proceedings Under
Address Confidentiality Program
Rule 2.575. Confidential information in name change proceedings under address confidentiality program
Rule 2.576. Access to name of the petitioner
Rule 2.577. Procedures for filing confidential name change records under seal
Chapter 6. Other Sealed or Closed Records
Rule 2.580. Request for delayed public disclosure
Rule 2.585. Confidential in-camera proceedings
Division 5. Venue and Sessions
Chapter 1. Venue [Reserved]
Rule 2.700. Intracounty venue [Reserved]
Chapter 2. Sessions [Reserved]
Division 6. Appointments by the Court or Agreement of the Parties
Chapter 1. Court-Appointed Temporary Judges
Rule 2.810. Temporary judges appointed by the trial courts
Rule 2.811. Court appointment of temporary judges
Rule 2.812. Requirements for court appointment of an attorney to serve as a temporary judge
Rule 2.813. Contents of training programs
Rule 2.814. Appointment of temporary judge
Rule 2.815. Continuing education
Rule 2.816. Stipulation to court-appointed temporary judge
Rule 2.817. Disclosures to the parties
Rule 2.818. Disqualifications and limitations
Rule 2.819. Continuing duty to disclose and disqualify
Chapter 2. Temporary Judges Requested by the Parties
Rule 2.830. Temporary judges requested by the parties
Rule 2.831. Temporary judge-stipulation, order, oath, assignment, disclosure, and disqualification
Rule 2.832. Compensation
Rule 2.833. Documents and exhibits
Rule 2.834. Open proceedings; notices of proceedings, use of court facilities, and order for hearing site
Rule 2.835. Motions or applications to be heard by the court
Chapter 3. Referees [Reserved]
Chapter 4. Language Access
Article 1. General Provisions
Rule 2.850. Language Access Representative
Rule 2.851. Language access services complaints
Article 2. Court Interpreters
Rule 2.890. Professional conduct for interpreters
Former rule 2.891. Periodic review of court interpreter skills and professional conduct [Repealed]
Rule 2.891. Request for court interpreter credential review
Rule 2.892. Guidelines for approval of certification programs for interpreters for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons
Rule 2.893. Appointment of interpreters in court proceedings
Rule 2.894. Reports on appointments of certified and registered interpreters and noncertified and nonregistered interpreters
Rule 2.895. Requests for interpreters
Division 7. Proceedings
Chapter 1. General Provisions
Rule 2.900. Submission of a cause in a trial court
Chapter 2. Records of Proceedings
Rule 2.950. Sequential list of reporters
Rule 2.952. Electronic recording as official record of proceedings
Rule 2.954. Specifications for electronic recording equipment
Rule 2.956. Court reporting services in civil cases
Rule 2.958. Assessing fee for official reporter
Division 8. Trials
Chapter 1. Jury Service
Rule 2.1000. Jury service [Reserved]
Rule 2.1002. Length of juror service
Rule 2.1004. Scheduling accommodations for jurors
Rule 2.1006. Deferral of jury service
Rule 2.1008. Excuses from jury service
Rule 2.1009. Permanent medical excuse from jury service
Rule 2.1010. Juror motion to set aside sanctions imposed by default
Chapter 2. Conduct of Trial
Rule 2.1030. Communications from or with jury
Rule 2.1031. Juror note-taking
Rule 2.1032. Juror notebooks in complex civil cases
Rule 2.1033. Juror questions
Rule 2.1034. Statements to the jury panel [Repealed]
Rule 2.1035. Preinstruction
Rule 2.1036. Assisting the jury at impasse
Chapter 3. Testimony and Evidence
Rule 2.1040. Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence
Chapter 4. Jury Instructions
Rule 2.1050. Judicial Council jury instructions
Rule 2.1055. Proposed jury instructions
Rule 2.1058. Use of gender-neutral language in jury instructions
Division 9. Judgments
Rule 2.1100. Notice when statute or regulation declared unconstitutional