Civil Cases 

Who Must eFile: Attorneys representing parties in limited and unlimited civil actions must submit filings electronically through the court's approved electronic filing service providers (EFSPs).

Self-Represented Litigants: eFiling is encouraged but not mandated for self-represented litigants unless otherwise ordered by the court.

Exemption Process: Requests to be excused from mandatory eFiling must be made by written ex parte application to the judge or department to whom the case is assigned. The clerk will not accept paper filings of documents required to be filed electronically absent a court order.

Authority: Local Rule 2.1.4; SDSC Form #CIV-409

Probate Cases

Who Must eFile: Effective April 15, 2021, attorneys representing parties in all probate actions must submit filings electronically through the court's approved EFSPs, with limited exceptions for certain documents.

Self-Represented Litigants: eFiling is encouraged but not mandated for self-represented litigants in probate actions.

Authority: Local Rule 4.3.2; SDSC Form #PR-188

Family Law Cases

Permissive eFiling Only: In family law cases, eFiling is permissive (optional) for both attorneys and self-represented litigants. There is currently no mandatory eFiling requirement for family law cases in San Diego County.

Note: Domestic Violence Temporary Restraining Order (DVTRO) requests may be submitted electronically as of July 1, 2023, pursuant to Family Code section 6307, but this is also permissive, not mandatory.

Authority: Family Law eFiling Page; SDSC Form #D-305; Local Rule 5.1.10

In addition to statewide exceptions under CRC 2.251, San Diego County requires paper filing for the following document types:

Mandatory Paper Filing - Restraining Orders

• Civil Harassment Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)/Restraining Order (RO) - all filings
• Elder Abuse TRO/RO - all filings
• Private Postsecondary School Violence Prevention TRO/RO - all filings
• Transitional Housing Program Misconduct TRO/RO - all filings
• Workplace Violence TRO/RO - all filings
• Retail Crime Restraining Orders (Penal Code §490.8(e))

Mandatory Paper Filing - Confidential/Sealed Documents

• Confidential documents lodged conditionally under seal (excluding Gun Violence Restraining Orders)
• Documents filed under seal or provisionally under seal pursuant to CRC 2.551
• New complaints/petitions filed designating plaintiff/petitioner as pseudonym (CRC 2.551)
• New complaints filed requesting action not be made public (CCP §482.050)

Mandatory Paper Filing - Other Specific Documents

• Application for Order Declaring Information on Affidavit of Voter Registration Confidential and Order
• Defendant/Respondent Information for Order Appointing Attorney Under Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SDSC Form #ADM-260)
• Interpleader actions pursuant to Civil Code §2924j
• Notice of Appeal of Labor Commissioner
• Out-of-State Commission Subpoenas
• Petitions for Recognition of Minor's Change of Gender and Sex Identifier - all filings
• Safe at Home Name Change Petitions - all filings
• Settlement Conference Briefs (to be lodged only)
• Subpoenaed Documents
• Stand-alone exhibits
• Trial exhibits
• Undertaking/Surety Bonds
• Warrants

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409 (pages 2-3)

In addition to California Rules of Court requirements for eFiling (rules 2.250-2.261), San Diego County requires:

PDF and Text-Searchable Format

• All documents must be in PDF format using Adobe Acrobat or any other PDF software compatible with the selected EFSP
• Must be text-searchable (OCR - Optical Character Recognition)
• Cannot contain: fillable fields, negative images, or images saved as 'objects'

Exhibit Requirements (Critical - Often #1 Rejection Reason)

• Bookmarking Required: Documents containing exhibits must be bookmarked as set forth on the EFSP's site
• Moving papers with non-compliant exhibits shall be rejected and/or not considered (CRC 3.1110(f))
• Each exhibit must have a bookmark for easy navigation

Metadata Removal

• Filers must remove metadata (hidden information about document revision history, author, file paths, etc.)
• This remains accessible even after PDF conversion and is the filer's responsibility to remove

Redaction Responsibility

• Only last four digits of social security or financial account numbers may be shown (CRC 1.201(a))
• Redaction is the responsibility of the e-filer, not the clerk
• Failure to comply may result in monetary sanctions (CRC 2.30(b))

File Organization

• For non-motion documents: All documents must be uploaded as individual documents within the same transaction
• For motions: All supporting documents may be scanned and uploaded as one document under a filing type that most closely captures the type of motion. All filings and exhibits must still be bookmarked.

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409; Local Rule 2.1.4.1

San Diego County has extensive courtesy copy requirements that supplement statewide rules. These vary by document type and timing.

General Rule for Hearings Within 2 Court Days

San Diego County Requirement: If a hearing is set within two (2) court days of the time documents are e-filed, the party(ies) must provide copies of the documents in paper form to the court. Transaction ID numbers must be noted on the documents to the extent feasible.

Ex Parte Applications

Timing: Courtesy copies must be delivered directly to the assigned department on or before 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) the court day immediately preceding the hearing date.

Delivery: Must be delivered directly to the department (typically via department drop box).

San Diego County Requirement per Local Rule 2.1.4: "Courtesy copies of all e-filed ex parte applications and all documents in support thereof must be delivered to the assigned department, if electronically filed, a courtesy copy sent to the department, no later than noon the court day prior to the ex parte appearance. The court may refuse to consider any late-filed papers."

Regular Motion Hearings

Many individual civil departments have specific policies requiring courtesy copies for law and motion matters. Filers should check the assigned department's policies on the court website.

Other Documents Requiring Courtesy Copies (Per General Practice)

• Stipulations (when filed close to hearing date)
• Law and motion oppositions and replies (department-specific)
• Supporting declarations
• Lodgments
• Requests for judicial notice

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409; Local Rule 2.1.4; individual department policies

San Diego County Requirement: Exhibits to be considered via a "Notice of Lodgment" shall not be attached to the e-filed "Notice of Lodgment." Instead, the submitting party must provide the assigned department with copies in paper form of the exhibits with a copy of the "Notice of Lodgment" that includes the e-filing Transaction ID number noted in the upper right-hand corner.

Physical Exhibit Lodgments: Exhibits to declarations that are real objects (construction materials, core samples, etc.) or other documents (plans, manuals, etc.) which otherwise may not be comprehensively viewed in electronic format must be lodged and will not be filed.

Media Storage Devices: Absent leave of court, the court will not accept for filing any media storage device such as a Compact Disc (CD), Digital Video Disc (DVD), or flash drive attached as an exhibit to a motion or pleading. Such exhibits must be lodged with the court and will be returned to the submitting party. This does not apply to exhibits identified and marked for the record at the time of trial or other hearing.

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409; Local Rule 2.5.6

San Diego County Superior Court does not require special local cover sheets or addendums beyond standard Judicial Council forms.

Standard Requirements

• Use standard Judicial Council forms (e.g., CM-010 Civil Case Cover Sheet)
• Follow statewide California Rules of Court requirements
• Failure to file a cover sheet with the first paper may result in sanctions under CRC 2.30 and 3.220

Note: Filers must comply with California Rules of Court rule 3.220 requiring a Civil Case Cover Sheet (Form CM-010) to be filed with the complaint, but San Diego County does not require any additional local cover sheets beyond this statewide requirement.

Authority: CRC 3.220; research of court forms page and local rules

San Diego County Requirement: Proposed filings, such as proposed court orders and amended complaints, should be e-filed as an exhibit and then re-submitted as a separate and new e-filing transaction after the court has ruled on the matter.

Editable Word-Processing Format: The court does not require that a version of the proposed order in an editable word-processing format be submitted in accordance with CRC 3.1312(c). All documents submitted via e-filing are considered editable; however, a separate editable version may be submitted to efile@sdcourt.ca.gov.

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409

San Diego County Requirement: A motion hearing date must be scheduled directly with the independent calendar department by calling the department or using the court's motion scheduler application, available at https://racd.sdcourt.ca.gov/.

Critical Note: A motion filed without a motion hearing date, even when a conformed copy of the filing is provided by the court, is not considered scheduled, and the hearing will not occur.

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409

San Diego County Requirement: E-filers are required to enter all parties listed on the document being filed if the party is not already part of the case. If submitting a new complaint, ALL parties must be entered. If all parties are not entered, the transaction will be rejected.

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409

San Diego County Warning: Due to the nature and volume of electronic filing in civil cases, many documents are auto-accepted and are not reviewed by the clerk. It is the sole responsibility of the filer to ensure that e-filed documents are correctly named and/or categorized by "Document Type." The lead document must also be designated appropriately, as the lead document determines how the transaction will be prioritized in the work queue.

Risk: Failure to correctly name the document and/or designate the lead document appropriately may result in confidential documents (such as ADA Requests for Accommodation and Requests to Waive Court Fees) being made available to the public or a detrimental delay in the processing of the transaction.

Authority: SDSC Form #CIV-409

Some documents, such as those that must be signed by a judge, will not be returned through the eFiling system.

Instead, the Court will only email conformed copies if an email address is included on the documents

San Diego Superior Court does not support Optional Services through the eFileCA eFiling system.

This means additional fees, such as extra first appearance fees, cannot be added during the online filing workflow.

Only the initial filing fee tied to the lead document will appear at submission.

If your filing requires additional fees (for example, multiple parties appearing), the court clerk will review your submission and manually assess any additional amounts during processing.