Civil Covid-19 Information and Update

Civil harassment restraining order requests can be submitted either by electronic filing, by dropping completed requests in the drop-box located next to room 107-J, or in person at the Civil Clerk’s Office between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on regular business days at 600 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa. Documents submitted by a represented party must be submitted through eFile. Processed orders will be returned via eFile or regular mail or will be available for pickup after 2:30 p.m. It is important to provide contact information for the clerk to contact you. If you do not want contact information on the request form, please submit a separate sheet of paper with the information.

Elder abuse restraining order requests can be submitted either by electronic filing, by dropping completed requests in the drop-box located next to room 107-J, or in person at the Civil Clerk’s Office between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on regular business days at 600 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa. Documents submitted by a represented party must be submitted through eFile. Processed orders will be returned via eFile or regular mail or will be available for pickup after 2:30 p.m.It is important to provide contact information for the clerk to contact you. If you do not want to submit contact information on the request form, please submit a separate sheet of paper with the information for court use.

Yes, either by electronic filing, in person at the Civil Clerk’s Office or by dropping completed requests in the drop-box located next to room 107-J at the Hall of Justice, 600 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa. Processed orders will be returned via eFile or regular mail or will be available for pickup after 2:30 p.m.

Information regarding new laws is available at the Judicial Council website at https://www.courts.ca.gov/44660.htm.

*The following forms must be opened using the Chrome Browser*
New and revised forms are available on the Judicial Council website at: https://www.courts.ca.gov/forms.htm?query=eviction
UD-101 Plaintiff’s Mandatory Cover Sheet and Supplemental Allegations—Unlawful Detainer
UD-104 Cover Sheet for Declaration of COVID-19-Related Financial Distress
UD-104(A) Attachment—Declaration of COVID-19-Related Financial Distress
Answer – Unlawful Detainer (form UD-105) has been revised to include new dates and additional defenses and objections for tenants.
Verification by Landlord Regarding Rental Assistance (form UD-120) is a new mandatory form that must be filed by plaintiff with any request for default judgment in an unlawful detainer action seeking possession of residential property based on nonpayment of rent or other financial obligations under a lease.

UD-125 Application To Prevent Forfeiture Due To COVID-19 Rental Debt (a mandatory form that can be filed by a tenant who has an approved application for rental assistance and has been served with a Complaint for Unlawful Detainer that is based on unpaid rent or other financial obligations that came due between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2022, under a tenancy that was initially established before October 1, 2021.)

Appearances for civil matters including civil harassment restraining orders, elder abuse restraining orders, Law & Motion and Case Management Conference calendars are being held remotely via Zoom. Please review the Virtual Appearance Guide for additional information. There is a Zoom kiosk available for use at the Sonoma County Law Library for use by persons over the age of 65 who have filed an application for a restraining order. If you are over 65 and have filed an application for a restraining order, you may contact our Self-Help Center at (707) 521-6534, to learn more and set an appointment to use the kiosk for your hearing.

Unlawful detainers calendars are being heard in person.

For instructions on how to submit exhibits prior to your hearing please see the Standing Order Re: Small Claims Trials. Also available for use is optional form Exchange and Submission of Evidence. In addition you may contact the court’s Self-Help Center for assistance prior to your hearing date by phone at (707) 521-6534 or by email at selfhelp@sonomacourt.org.

For assistance in how to appear by Zoom please review the Virtual Appearance Guide. You may also contact the court’s Self-Help Center for assistance prior to your hearing date by phone at (707) 521-6534 or by email at selfhelp@sonomacourt.org.

E-Filing allows filers to submit documents to open court cases and e-file documents 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. E-filing remains open and available to all parties during court closures due to COVID-19. Except for documents related to hearings being conducted during the closure, documents that are submitted for filing during the closure will have a filing date on the next day that is not a judicial holiday if the document meets appropriate criteria for filing. Due to the volume of documents submitted during the closure, the processing of submitted documents may be delayed.

Civil settlement conferences have resumed.