General Civil Law
Clerk’s Office hours:
Monday through Friday, except holidays, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
About Civil Law
The civil division is where all civil matters are filed. A civil matter involves a lawsuit in which one party sues another to recover money, real property or personal property, to enforce a contract or an obligation, to collect damages for injury or to protect some civil right. The court has jurisdiction over all types of civil cases in Ventura County, including all limited and unlimited civil matters.
General Civil cases are heard at the Ventura Courthouse.
Office and telephone hours are Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
A Civil Case Cover Sheet is required with all new complaints. The courtroom your case is assigned to can be found on the Notice of Case Assignment that will be provided to you when your case is filed.
Service of ADR Package: Pursuant to California Rule of Court 3.221, in all general civil cases, the plaintiff must serve a copy of the ADR information package on each defendant together with the complaint. Cross-complainants must serve a copy of the ADR information package on any new parties to the action together with the cross-complaint. Download the Ventura Superior Court ADR Information Sheet.
Pursuant to local rule, all noticed or ex-parte motions and any pleadings in support or opposition thereto must be filed in the courthouse in which the department of the appropriate judge is located. Civil courtrooms have limits on the number of ex-parte hearings and Law & Motion matters that can be scheduled each day. These courtrooms require the parties to call in advance and reserve a hearing date and time. Parties are encouraged to all the Civil Unit at 805-289-8525 for additional information on how to reserve a hearing.
Pursuant to California Rule of court 2.253(b) filings submitted by attorneys in unlimited civil and limited civil are mandatory electronic filing through eFiling.
Self-represented parties are exempt from the mandatory electronic filing requirements but may file electronically in addition to filing documents at the counter, utilizing drop boxes, or postal services.
Filings can be submitted to the court via US Mail at:
Ventura Superior Court
Attn: Civil Clerk’s Office
PO Box 6489
Ventura, CA 93006
Filings that are deposited in the drop box Monday through Friday, before 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays will be filed the date they are received. Filings that are deposited in the drop box after 4:00 p.m. will be filed the next business day.
Requests for continuance may require a declaration and order or a stipulation and order. The clerk cannot grant a continuance.
Summons and complaint may be served by the Sheriff, Marshal, registered process server or anyone over the age of 18 who is not a party to the action. The original proof of service must be filed with the court to obtain a judgment against the defendant.
Notices may be served by personal service or by first-class mail. A proof of service or declaration of mailing must be attached to the notice when it is filed with the court.
If you have been served with a summons and complaint and want to respond, forms are available on our local forms page or the state forms web page. A ten-day summons requires an immediate response. Failure to file a response may lead to a judgment being entered against you.
Motions together with proof of service must be served and filed at least 16 court days before the hearing and must contain the correct date, time and courtroom for the hearing.
The fee for filing a motion is $60.00 if the first appearance fee has already been paid.
Noticed or Ex-parte motions are heard at various times. Civil courtrooms have limits on the number of ex-parte hearings and Law & Motion matters that can be scheduled each day. These courtrooms require the parties to call in advance and reserve a hearing date and time. Parties are encouraged to call the Civil Unit at 805-289-8525 for additional information on how to reserve a hearing.
Noticed and Ex-parte motions must be filed in the courthouse in which the department of the appropriate judge is located.
In an appeal, a higher court reviews the order or judgment of a lower court. Any party may appeal from an unfavorable decision based upon whether there was enough evidence to support the judgment or whether errors of law were committed during or before trial which harmed the appealing party.
The fee for filing an appeal from a decision in a limited civil case with a jurisdictional amount up to $10,000.00 is $225.00 and the fee in a limited civil case with a jurisdictional amount over $10,000.00 and up to $35,000.00 is $370.00. The fee for filing an appeal from a decision in an unlimited civil case decision is $775.00 payable to the District Court of Appeal and $100.00 payable to the Ventura Superior Court as deposit for the clerk’s transcript. The form for filing an unlimited civil appeal is Judicial Council form “Notice of Appeal/Cross-Appeal” (APP-002). There is no form available to file an appeal in a limited civil case and the form must be self-drafted.
On a decision in a limited civil case, the notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days after the mailing or personal service of the notice of entry of judgment. If a Notice has not been mailed or personally served, the appeal period is 90 days from the entry of judgment by the court.
On a decision of the Superior Court, the notice of appeal must be filed within 60 days after the mailing or personal service of the entry of judgment. If a Notice has not been mailed or personally served, the appeal period is 180 days from the entry of judgment by the court. Permission to file late is rarely given.
Filing of a notice of appeal does not stop enforcement of the judgment. You must still comply with all court orders.
The Ventura Superior Court offers the opportunity to appear remotely for civil, probate, family and juvenile (non-criminal) cases. Before making a remote appearance, please consult applicable rules and procedures regarding remote appearances, including California Rules of Court, rule 3.672 and California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75.
You may also find legal guides and references in the Ventura County Law Library which is located in the Hall of Justice at 800 South Victoria Avenue in Ventura.
The Superior Court has self-help centers, established to help people representing themselves choose and complete the correct legal forms.
The Court-Ordered Civil Mediation Program helps parties resolve their legal disputes early in the litigation process. Mediation is a quick, cost-effective, and less stressful way for parties to settle cases. It gives parties the opportunity to resolve their disputes directly before committing significant time, money, and energy to a trial.
Visit our Court-Ordered Civil Mediation Program page.
- Scanned Unlimited Civil Complaints - Civil unlimited complaints that have been received by the court and immediately scanned into electronic format.
- Electronically Submitted Unlimited Civil Complaints - Incoming electronic submissions that have not yet been filed by the court.
These documents do not constitute official records of the court. Because the complaints are scanned into this system before a full review by the court, the viewer is advised that the court may ultimately reject for filing a complaint that does not meet applicable standards. Thus, one or more of the complaints herein may never become an official record of the court.
The official records of the court can be obtained for review in the Records Department.
The Ventura Superior Court allows Mandatory Settlement Conferences to be conducted remotely through Zoom. Because of technological constraints, the Court cannot conduct an MSC in which some participants appear in person while others appear by Zoom: all participants must appear by Zoom in order for the MSC to be conducted by Zoom.
MSC Briefs must be no more than 5 pages in length and must be submitted at least 5 court days prior to the MSC via email directly to: MSC@ventura.courts.ca.gov.
For MSCs conducted by Zoom, the court will act as the host for the Zoom conference and send email invitations to the parties/counsel. Parties who agree to have their MSC conducted by Zoom must complete the form below and provide the court with email addresses where the Zoom invitation can be sent on the date of the scheduled MSC. The form must be completed by all parties who intend to participate in an MSC conducted by Zoom and be filed with the court at least 5 court days prior to the MSC along with the submission of the Settlement Conference Statement to the email above. (Cal. Rules Ct., Rule 3.1380(c).). The form explains the rules applicable to remote MSCs.
The court does not provide advice or assistance on how to use Zoom. Instructions on how to use Zoom can be found at:
https://learning.zoom.us/learn?utm_source=support&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=Start_learning
“Trial counsel, parties, and persons with full authority to settle the case must personally attend the conference, unless excused by the court for good cause. If any consent to settle is required for any reason, the party with that consensual authority must be personally present at the conference.” (Cal. Rules Ct, rule 3.1380(b).)
For MSCs conducted remotely, the same confidentiality rules apply as with in person MSCs. No photography, recording or broadcasting of all or any portion of an MSC is permitted, including by screenshot, audio or video recording, or otherwise. (See Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.150; Pen. Code § 632.) Participants who appear by Zoom are prohibited from forwarding the Zoom invitation or disclosing the Zoom meeting identification code to any non-participant. No other person can view or listen to the remote MSC except those listed on the below form.
For frequently asked questions about civil law, visit our FAQs page.