The Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin (Court), with this, provides public notice, according to Government Code section 68106, of changes in court operations, in response to the Governor’s executive order and California Occupational Health and Safety Administration (Cal/OSHA)’s revised COVID-10 regulations with guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). These changes will be in effect until further notice.
Beginning Tuesday, July 6, 2021, all courthouses and courtrooms are open; however, the Court will continue to take reasonable safety precautions to keep the public, court staff, judicial officers and others safe.
All persons entering court facilities must self-attest to being fully vaccinated or unvaccinated. Individuals who are NOT fully vaccinated, or decline to state, must wear a face covering to enter the courthouse and at all times while inside. According to the most recent COVID-19 guidelines from the California Department of Public Health, fully vaccinated people are not required to wear a face covering/mask or practice physical distancing in state and local government buildings.
CLERKS OFFICES: The Clerk’s offices at all locations are open 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Clerk’s windows for Civil, Family Law and Lodi and Manteca locations will be open from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the limited purpose of picking up Restraining Orders; no other in-person business will be conducted. Clerk’s Offices can also be contacted as follows:
• By Telephone: To contact the Court by telephone, please visit the Court’s website at www.sjcourts.org for current hours and contact information.
• Support On-line: Questions can be submitted via the support link on the Court’s website at /online-services/support/.
There are drop boxes outside of the Stockton and Lodi Courthouse. For the Manteca Branch and the Juvenile Justice Center, a drop box is located within the buildings. eFiling is available for Civil, Family Law, Criminal Motions, and Probate. Please visit https://appfile.sjcourts.org/ for information.
ALL COURTROOMS ARE OPEN. SEE BELOW FOR DIVISION AND COURTROOM SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
CIVIL: Documents for the Civil, Small Claims and Appeals Divisions may be submitted by drop box, mail or eFiling; eFiling is strongly encouraged for Civil and Small Claims cases. Courtesy copies must be submitted as outlined in Local Rule 3-117. Courtesy copies (only) may be placed in the drop boxes located on the 10th and 11th floor.
Departments 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D and 11B – All Hearings are to be held remotely unless otherwise directed by the Judge/Department. Refer to the Court’s website at /divisions/civil/ for instructions on remote attendance at hearings and each Judge/Department’s requirements for attendance at Mandatory Settlement Conferences. The Court has resumed Civil Jury Trials.
COLLABORATIVE COURTS: Collaborative Courts are open and remote hearings are available upon request.
JURY SERVICES: Our Jury Department has resumed full operations and jurors are being called in for jury service. All jurors required to report for jury service will be asked to self-attest upon entry into the courthouse that they are fully vaccinated or unvaccinated. Fully vaccinated jurors are not required to wear a face covering. Jurors who are NOT fully vaccinated, or decline to state, must wear a face covering to enter the courthouse and at all times while inside. The Court will continue to provide face coverings upon entry into the courthouse. For information regarding jury service, please visit the Court’s website. /divisions/jury-service/ or call (209) 992-5500 for a Jury services staff member.
FAMILY LAW: Family law documents may be submitted in person at the clerk’s windows on the 4th floor of the courthouse from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., by dropbox, mail, or eFiling. For telephonic assistance, please call (209) 992-5690. Questions may be submitted via the support link on the Court’s website at /online-services/support/. Remote hearings are available upon request and subject to judicial officer’s approval. Mediations will be conducted in person with the parties and mediator only. The parties’ attorneys may appear telephonically for mediations only.
PROBATE/DEPARTMENT 11A: Parties may appear by teleconference rather than appear in person. Instructions and notice for the teleconference line can be found on local form Notice of Teleconferencing Appearance and Requirements (SJPR-001), located on our website under local forms at /forms-filing/local-forms/. Notice of Teleconferencing Appearance and Requirements must be served with any Notice of Hearing or on its own in all matters.
Settlement conferences and trials are heard in person in the courtroom, teleconferencing is NOT allowed for settlement conferences or trials. In limited circumstances, teleconference appearances may be allowed for settlement conferences with specific court approval at least 72 hours before the settlement conference.
eFiling of probate documents is encouraged, but they may also be submitted in person at the clerk’s windows on the 4th floor of the courthouse from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., by drop box, or mail. Faxed documents are no longer accepted.
Questions and inquiries can be submitted online at /divisions/probate/probate-inquiries/ or by email to sjprobate@sjcourts.org.
MENTAL HEALTH: Continues to be heard remotely.
RECORDS MANAGEMENT: Requests for copies are accepted by mail and through the online request at /online-services/records-request/. Researchers are able to request an appointment to use a public kiosk for research. The general public can request an appointment to complete research. For more information on requesting copies or appointments see the Records Management Division web page at /divisions/records management/.
TRAFFIC: Traffic payments are accepted online, in person, by mail or using the drop box located at the Stockton Court entrance. Walk-in calendars are suspended.
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) for traffic infraction citations provides a way for you to possibly resolve your traffic case without having to personally appear in Court. ODR is available to you 24 hours a day from your phone, tablet, or computer. Please visit the About and FAQ pages for detailed information on the ODR system at cii2.courtinnovations.com/CASCSJ/.
Prior to their court date, the public is encouraged to verify their hearing date, time, and location by visiting cms.sjcourts.org/fullcourtweb/start.do.
SELF HELP: The Self-Help Center is now open to the public for in-person assistance from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and by appointment only in the afternoons. Online assistance is available at www.sjcourts.org/self-help/ (response time is three to five days) or telephonic assistance by calling (209) 992-5283 between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. For updates about hours of operation and other available self-help online services, visit the Court’s website at www.sjcourts.org.