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COVID-19 Information & Court Operations
COVID-19 Information & Updates on Court Operations
Last Updated: 01/20/2022 11:55 am
Attention: Do Not Come to the Courthouse If You Are Not Feeling Well:
Those who are feeling ill or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including but not limited to fever or chills, cough,
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle body ache, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea,
or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are prohibited from entering any court facility or courthouse
(General Order 2021-24) (pdf ).
Effective January 5, 2022:
Limited Access to Courtrooms
- All persons entering court facilities are required to wear a face covering at all times.
Masks are available upon request at security screening. This requirement does not apply to children under
the age of two. (See General Order 2021-29 (pdf )
for additional information.)
- Court security will turn away anyone not wearing an appropriate face covering. Non-exempt individuals who
remove their face covering after entering a court facility may be denied services, have their legal matter rescheduled,
and/or will be asked to leave the building.
- Six (6) foot physical distancing is required inside courtrooms. Access to courtrooms is limited
to parties, their attorneys, witnesses subpoenaed to testify, and other authorized persons.
(See General Order 2022-9 (pdf ) for additional information.)
Public access to court proceedings is available via the
Courtroom Livestreaming
webpage.
- Clerk's offices remain open for public services.
Effective January 5, 2022: Jury Trials Temporarily Suspended Through January 28, 2022
The court has suspended civil and criminal jury trials that are not in progess. Jurors summoned to
report during this time should
check their status online
or via phone at 951-275-5076 or 760-342-6264.
Jury trials already in progress will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
(See General Order 2022-9 (pdf ) for additional information.)
Please note that the COVID-19 Omicron variant is currently impacting staffing levels
- There may be longer than average wait times on phones, at clerk’s offices, and delays in the processing of court documents.
The Riverside Superior Court is committed to protecting the health and safety of our community while
performing our constitutional duties following guidelines provided by the California Occupational
Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal/OSHA).
Customers may submit documents for filing either online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal,
by electronic filing for civil cases,
by U.S. Mail,
or by placement in a drop box at one of our court facilities
(See charts below for details).
Court Appearances (Hearings)
In most case types, when your case is set for a hearing, the court will send you a
Notice of Hearing. Review this notice carefully, as it will indicate whether the hearing will be conducted live,
in-person or telephonically (by phone).
- If your notice instructs you to attend a hearing in-person, you must appear at the courthouse.
- If your notice instructs to appear telephonically, you must attend by phone.
- If you are not sure, please contact the clerk's office or your attorney, if you have one, for assistance.
You may also check the status of your case online.
Notice of Hearing (In-Person Appearances)
You are required to attend the hearing in-person. The notice you received contains information about the hearing, including the courthouse location,
department (courtroom), and date and time.
Notice of Telephonic Hearing (Telephonic Appearances)
You are to appear remotely by telephone or video. The notice you received contains information you will need to attend the hearing remotely, including the courthouse location,
department (courtroom), and date and time.
Please click here for important information and instructions for Telephonic Courtroom Appearances.
Telephone Services
A very limited number of court staff are available to answer telephones and monitor email accounts. You can contact the Riverside Superior Court at
951-777-3147 (phone) to speak to a clerk.
Please anticipate lengthy wait times for telephone service, and please understand that email responses will be delayed.
Phone hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except court holidays.
Web chat services are also available.
Electronic Document Submission
Customers may file documents online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal. The eSubmit program allows court customers
to electronically deliver documents to the court securely via the internet.
Alternatively, documents can also be mailed to the court for processing. See the court locations & parking page for courthouse addresses.
As of July 1, 2021, electronic filing (eFiling) is also now available for civil.
Clerk’s Office Hours
Click here for information about court locations and addresses.
| Court Location / Division |
Drop Box* |
Clerk’s Office Hours (Effective 1/3/2022) |
| Banning Justice Center |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Blythe Courthouse |
Yes |
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Corona Court |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Hemet Courthouse |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Larson Justice Center |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Moreno Valley Courthouse |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Palm Springs Courthouse |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Riverside Family Law |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Riverside Hall of Justice |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Riverside Historic Courthouse |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Riverside Juvenile |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Southwest Justice Center |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Southwest Juvenile |
No |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Temecula Courthouse |
Yes |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Appeals |
No |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Exhibits |
No |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
| Riverside Centre (ECD) |
No |
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Available by phone only |
| Self Help Center |
No |
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Telephone and In-Person
Appointments Available (pdf ) |
| Court's Executive Office |
No |
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
|
*Drop boxes are available inside court facilities until 4:00 p.m., excluding weekends and
court holidays. (see Cal. Rule of Court, rule 2.210) (external site )
Court Services (by Case Type)
Criminal
- The court continues to hear in-custody arraignments via video for both misdemeanor and felony cases in addition to in person preliminary hearings,
bail motions, sentencing hearings, etc. Additionally, the court continues to accept bail motions, 977 waivers, OR Release Agreements, stipulations,
and ex parte gun violence restraining orders via eSubmit.
Civil
- Effective 1/1/2022, electronic filing is mandatory for parties represented by counsel in limited
and unlimited civil actions, including unlawful detainer actions. If a party is self-represented
electronic filing is optional in limited and unlimited civil actions, including unlawful detainer
cases and small claims.
- Self-represented litigants may continue to file civil documents by efiling, U.S. Mail or by
placement in a drop box outside the courthouse during the hours of 7:30am – 4:00pm.
- Effective 1/1/2022, The Court’s eSubmit electronic portal will no longer be available for
submission of documents in civil, unlawful detainers and small claims cases.
- Hearings on judgment debtor exams and civil harassment restraining orders are being heard in-person.
- Clerk’s Offices are open for in-person civil filings at the Banning Justice Center, Blythe
Courthouse, Corona Courthouse Moreno Valley Courthouse, Palm Springs Courthouse, Riverside Historic
Courthouse and Southwest Justice Center. The clerk’s office public service hours
are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
- The court has established guidelines for Informal Discovery Conferences (IDC) and Voluntary Settlement Conferences (VSC) (pdf )
in Unlimited Civil Proceedings to assist in facilitating settlements.
- You can check the status of your case online.
- Certain ADR services may be offered remotely. Parties ordered to court-ordered mediation or arbitration are encouraged to inquire directly with mediation and arbitration
panel members regarding availability of remote services.
Family Law
- Customers may file documents in-person in the clerk’s office at the Blythe Courthouse,
Larson Justice Center, Hemet Courthouse and the Riverside Family Law Courthouse or continue to file
documents online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal, mail or by placement in the drop-box.
Domestic Violence restraining orders for the mid-county region will return to the Hemet Courthouse effective January 3, 2022.
- The court is conducting in-person hearings on permanent restraining orders at the Blythe Courthouse, Riverside Family Law Courthouse, Hemet Courthouse, and Larson Justice Center.
- The court is conducting mediations via videoconference or telephonically. (Telephonic appearances for mediations will need prior approval).
- Freedom for Parental Custody and Control hearings are being conducted in-person at the Riverside
Family Law Courthouse, Southwest Justice Center and Larson Justice Center. Effective January 3, 2022,
the Freedom for Parental Custody and Control hearings for the mid-county region will return to and
be conducted in-person at the Hemet Courthouse.
- In-person hearings have resumed for family law hearings including but not limited to Request for Orders, Trial Readiness Conferences, Adoptions and Department of Child Support Services at each family law region.
Parties may stipulate to a judicial officer ruling on a contested matter without a hearing by submitting a Stipulation and Order Re: Ruling on Request for Order without Hearing. Parties submitting the Stipulation and Order form will receive a written ruling from the judicial officer.
Parties may submit the Stipulation and Order form via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal, Mail or by placement in the drop box.
You can access the “Family Law Orders During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” and new local forms by clicking the links below:
Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC)
- Until further notice, Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC) appointments will be conducted via videoconference.
If you received an Order to Attend Child Custody Recommending Counseling Appointment (videoconference), you are required
to complete a CCRC Intake Questionnaire and attend Parent Orientation prior to your appointment. Your questionnaire and
certificate of completion of parent orientation should be sent a minimum of two days prior to your scheduled CCRC
appointment. You can access the local forms by clicking the links below:
Supervised Visitation
Emergency Protective Order (EPO)
- For Law Enforcement:
- Daytime Emergency Protective Order (EPO) calls will still be accepted.
Case Information
Probate
- All probate matters have been restored to in person hearings. If a remote appearance is
needed, party(ies) should call into the scheduled hearing at the designated time by using the
telephone number and meeting number for the assigned Probate Department located on the Court’s
website at the following link:
Telephonic-Appearances (pdf ) - (Please Click Here for Instructions).
- All probate documents are being accepted for filing. The documents may be submitted in person
at the appropriate probate courthouse between the hours of 7:30a.m. - 4:00p.m. Parties are encouraged to submit their documents
by eSubmit, by U.S. Mail or dropped off in a drop box
located at Riverside Historic Courthouse, Temecula Courthouse or Palm Springs Courthouse between
the hours of 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m.
- You may also check the status
of your probate case online.
- Probate Investigator interviews are being conducted remotely until further notice.
- To locate your calendar matter number for a hearing the following day, click the department below:
Juvenile Delinquency
- The court is hearing all juvenile justice hearings in person.
- The court is hearing all juvenile non-traffic infraction calendars in person.
- The court clerk’s office staff is processing all juvenile justice and non-traffic infraction
filings.
Juvenile Dependency
- The court is hearing all juvenile dependency hearings in person.
- The court clerk’s office staff is processing all juvenile dependency filings.
Traffic
- Traffic Night Court is not being held at this time. Effective July 6, 2021, the court will resume in person hearings.
Paying a Traffic Ticket
- Most traffic-related matters can be handled online, including options for paying a traffic fine.
You can also call our Traffic IVR at 951-222-0384 (phone),
or utilize ePay-It (external site ) to handle your traffic ticket.
Small Claims
- The Court Clerk’s Offices for small claims matters are closed for in-person filings.
- Customers may submit traffic documents online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal, by U.S. Mail or by placement in a drop box at one of the following court facilities:
- Banning Courthouse
- Blythe Courthouse
- Corona Courthouse
- Moreno Valley Courthouse
- Palm Springs Courthouse
- Southwest Justice Center (Murrieta)
- All small claims hearings are being heard remotely via telephonic appearance.
- Small claims hearings are currently not being scheduled for night court.
- You can check the status of your case online.
Unlawful Detainers
- Emergency Rule 1 (external site pdf ) sunset at midnight on September 1, 2020. This rule previously prohibited, after April 6, 2020, the issuance of a summons on any unlawful
detainer complaint or a default judgment on any pending unlawful detainer action, except on a showing that the action was needed to address public health and safety issues.
- Governor Newsom signed the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020 (AB 3088 (external site )) as urgency legislation. The COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020 went into effect on August 31, 2020.
AB 3088 was adopted to protect tenants and small landlords from the financial distress caused by COVID-19 pandemic effects. Under AB 3088, landlords may begin filing certain
eviction actions for failure to pay rent or other charges as of October 5, 2020, but cannot evict tenants who have filed a specific declaration of financial distress within
the required timeframe - 15-days after being served with a notice to quit by the landlord.
- On September 1, 2020, the Riverside Superior Court issued General Order 2020-53 (pdf ) rescinding certain days as court holidays for the purpose of computing time for filing papers under CCP §§ 12 and 12a.
- Effective October 5, 2020, the Judicial Council of California adopted new forms for unlawful detainer matters. The new forms can be found at: www.courts.ca.gov/1290.htm (external site )
- The Court Clerk’s Offices for unlawful detainer matters are closed for in-person filings unless it is an ex parte application or other application for emergency relief.
- Customers may submit unlawful detainer documents online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal, by U.S. Mail or by placement in a drop box at one of the following court facilities:
- Banning Courthouse
- Blythe Courthouse
- Corona Courthouse
- Moreno Valley Courthouse
- Palm Springs Courthouse
- Southwest Justice Center (Murrieta)
- All unlawful detainer hearings are being heard remotely via telephonic appearance. Notice of your hearing will be mailed by the Court.
- Self Help information about new eviction laws can be found on the California Courts website at www.courts.ca.gov/44660.htm (external site )
- Additional Eviction Resources: Department of Real Estate: “Housing is Key (external site )” provides resources for landlords and tenants to understand their rights and responsibilities – particularly in light of COVID-19 protections.
- COVID-19 Rental Relief Video & Information
Court Orders
