Filing information
Types of service
Responses and Answers
Motions
Civil Appeals
How to get legal help
Court Approved Civil Mediators
Court Venue information
The civil division is the processing unit 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 those within the jurisdiction of the former municipal court. The jurisdiction of the former municipal court involves all cases at law in which the demand exclusive of interest or the value of the property in controversy amounts to $25,000 or less, these are known as limited civil cases. Ventura County complies with delay reduction through fast track standards and multi-door courthouse processes such as mandatory early settlement conferences, mandatory mediation and arbitration.
Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, in both the Ventura and East County Divisions. For general civil information in Ventura, the number is (805) 654-2609. For East County civil information, the number is (805) 582-8086.
A Declaration Re: Court Assignment and a Civil Case Cover Sheet are required with all new complaints. The Declaration re: Court Assignment will determine whether your case will be assigned to the Ventura or East County Division. Filings for either Ventura or East County can be presented at either division. The courtroom your case is assigned to can be found on your copy of the filed complaint.
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.
To file a document by fax, you must be registered with Official Payments Corp. To register, please call 1-800-322-4945 or visit their Web site at www.officialpayments.com. If you are already registered, you may fax your document by calling 1-800-530-3202 for Ventura and 1-800-530-3195 for Simi Valley. To file a document electronically, you must register at www.e-filing.com. You will receive a confirmation when the fax or electronic filing reaches the court. Any documents received after 5:00 p.m. will be filed as of the next court 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 may be available in the clerk's office or on the
court internet at
www.ventura.courts.ca.gov or the Judicial Council website at
www.courtinfo.ca.gov.
A five day summons requires an immediate response. Failure to file a response may
lead to a judgment being entered against you.
Orders to Show Cause and Motions
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 $40.00 if the first appearance fee has already been paid.
Noticed or Ex-parte motions are heard at various
times and some require an appointment which must be scheduled with the secretary of the
assigned courtroom. 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 $180.00 and the fee in a limited civil case with a jurisdictional amount over $10,000.00 and up to $25,000.00 is $300.00. The fee for filing an appeal from a decision in an unlimited civil case decision is $655.00 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 (those within the jurisdiction of the former municipal court), 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.
Brochures which provide information on free or low cost legal assistance are available in the clerks office.
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 law library is open Monday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 600 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Legal assistance can also be obtained from the courts Self Help Legal Access Centers. The Ventura center is located in Room 400 on the 4th Floor of the Hall of Justice at 800 South Victoria Avenue in Ventura. The center is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Oxnard center is located at 1500 Colonia Road, Suite 20 in Oxnard. The hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. Assistance with civil matters is provided on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on a first come, first serve basis.
Legal Assistance is also provided at the East County Courthouse located at 3855F Alamo Street in Simi Valley in Room 2058 on the 2nd Floor on Mondays only from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Book stores also sell legal books and references.
