REMOTE APPEARANCE INFORMATION FOR PROBATE
RULES WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED STARTING JANUARY 1, 2025
If a party elects to appear remotely in the Probate Department, it is by Zoom as set forth below.
All General hearings, Law and Motion, Ex Parte, and Orders to Show Cause, parties may appear remotely with no notice to the other parties or to the Court.
All Evidentiary Hearings, Settlement Conferences, Bench or Court Trials, and Jury Trials, parties must appear in person, unless the party or attorney requests and receives express written authorization to appear remotely by the judicial officer. SEE LOCAL RULE 4-117, Civil Code of Procedure Section 367.75 and California Rule of Court, rule 3.672 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
It is a privilege to appear remotely, and all rules and procedures must be followed, or the privilege of appearing remotely may be revoked.
Before your hearing date:
- Make sure you have tested and are familiar with using Zoom. The Court is unable to help you with technical difficulties during open court, and your case may be heard without your participation if you have technical difficulties during your remote appearance.
- Visit www.zoom.us/ for more information on how Zoom works and how you can join meetings. Zoom works on computer desktops, tablets, and most smartphones.
- Test the Zoom audio and video functions on your device before your hearing. Visit zoom.us/test for more information on how to test your device.
On your hearing date:
- You must login no later than 8:15 for an 8:30 or 8:31 appearance. DO NOT LOG IN LATE. The Court will start roll call as close to 8:15 as possible, if you login after rollcall has started, you will NOT be allowed in and cannot appear remotely that day. There will be no late entries into Zoom once roll call has commenced.
- For any other hearing times, you must login a minimum of 15 minutes before the hearing time. If you are not logged in by the time court starts the hearing, you will NOT be allowed in.
- Use the link below [Video appearance is required, unless you do not have access to a devise with video capability].
| Department | Zoom Link | Meeting ID | Passcode |
| L2 | Dept L2 Zoom Link | 161 8448 8804 | 007666 |
| L1 | Dept. L1 Zoom Link | 160 5015 1904 | 007666 |
Or log onto www.zoom.us/ through your internet browser or through the app on your mobile device. Click “JOIN A MEETING” and enter the Meeting ID and click “Join.” Then enter the Passcode.
If you do not have access to an electronic device with video capability, you can participate by telephone. Dial 1-669-254-5252. The Meeting ID and Passcode are the same for video appearances or audio appearances.
NOTE: If you join by telephone without a mute button, you may be able to use *6 to unmute and mute your telephone.- Rename your device to display your first and last name (no phone numbers or pseudonyms are acceptable).
NOTE: You may have to wait several minute to be checked in by the courtroom clerk. After being checked in, please mute your audio, and turn off your video, while you wait for your case to be called. Do not call the department or courtroom to ask when your case will be called.
NOTE: You may have to wait several minutes to be checked in by the courtroom clerk. After being checked in, please mute your audio and turn off your video until your case is called. Do not call the department or courtroom to ask when your case will be called.
Technical difficulties: If a remote participant is disconnected from the video hearing or experiences some other technical failure, the participant must use best efforts to promptly re-establish the connection. If the participant cannot reconnect to the hearing they must notify the court by phone at 209-992-5696.
You must adhere to the following ADMONITIONS, or the Court may require you to appear in person:
- RECORDING (Audio, Video or Screenshots) OF ANY REMOTE APPEARANCE, FOR ANY PURPOSE, IS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED. Any violation of this rule is an unlawful interference with the proceedings of the court and may be the basis for an order imposing monetary or other sanctions as provided by law.
- Video appearances should be live and not a photograph or still image. Virtual backgrounds or filters are not allowed as they modify your appearance – use a real-time background instead.
- All remote participants must follow the same courtroom etiquette requirements as those appearing in person, including appropriate attire, no eating, no drinking, and cell phones off (unless using a cell phone to connect, then “do not disturb” mode should be used so other calls, alerts, or notifications are silenced).
- Remote participants must call from a quiet and private location with a minimum of background noise and use best efforts to eliminate all visual and auditory distractions during the hearing.
- Participants are not allowed to appear while walking around or while in a moving vehicle, regardless if the participant is a passenger.
Other Instructions/Suggestions:
- Ensure you have enough battery power, a charger readily available, and access to cellular data or Wi-Fi for the entire session.
- Position your camera at eye level so that you are looking into the camera when speaking.
- Ensure there is enough light for the camera to illuminate you.
- Close all other programs not in use so they do not interfere with your connection.
- Only one person should speak at a time. Do not talk over each other.
- Raise your hand when objecting or want to speak in case there is a lag time in audio, and so you do not interrupt others.