COVID-19

Criminal

• All courtrooms

Traffic

• All courtrooms

Civil

• Departments 21, 23,  25 and 105 (Oakland)
• Departments 511, 517 and 519 (Hayward)

Probate

• Departments 201 and 202

The Court’s Executive Office is open from 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. daily.

For inquiries, please email ExecutiveOffice@alameda.courts.ca.gov.

Limited staff are available to answer telephones and monitor email accounts that may result in lengthy wait times and delays in email responses. Current telephone hours are as follows:

• Civil & Probate: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• Family: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Criminal, Traffic, Juvenile: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• Self-Help: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Mon – Thurs)
• Appeals: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

To minimize the health and safety risks associated with extended transportation times, almost all in-person Criminal calendars are being held in the East County Hall of Justice. These calendars include daily arraignments, preliminary examinations, felony sentencing, and law and motion matters. All counsel, parties, and litigants are encouraged to appear remotely. (Videoconference call in numbers can be obtained through representatives of the District Attorney's Office, Public Defender's Office, Alameda County Bar Association and Court Appointed Attorney Program, and through the specific arraignment departments.)

In addition, the Court uses its BlueJeans videoconference system to conduct regular informal 977-arraignment and pretrial calendars (Depts. 103, 108, 111, 711, and 712); law and motion calendars (Depts. 4, 6, 8, and 605); felony sentencing (Depts. 11 and 705); and informal settlement calendars for misdemeanor and felony jury trials (Depts. 109 and 4, respectively).

The Court continues to accept Criminal filings made through the Odyssey E-Filing System, the clerk’s office and at the Courthouse drop boxes. Court staff will process filings on a priority basis, and as staffing permits; filers should anticipate that there may be delays.

The Court’s judicial directory with assignment information can be found here. More specific criminal calendar and scheduling information can be found here. Historic information concerning the Court’s criminal operations during the COVID-19 pandemic can be found here. Please be aware, operations continue to change regularly in order to address user demand, resource constraints, and health and safety requirements.

On Thursday mornings, remote master jury trial readiness calendars are held in Department 7 (North County cases) and Department 705 (South/East County cases). Counsel in cases assigned out for trial must be prepared to remotely conduct the required pre-voir dire conference (California Rules of Court, rule 4.200) with the designated trial judge on Friday mornings. Parties should be prepared to begin jury selection the following Monday.

Attorneys, litigants, and prospective jurors should be familiar with the jury selection information provided on the Court’s juror web page, including the standard questionnaires prospective jurors are asked to complete and submit electronically before appearing at a court location.

Parties in criminal matters have the opportunity to select a jury remotely (via Zoom), or in person, using one of the Court’s jury assembly rooms (JARs) and overflow courtrooms if needed. Due to spacing constraints, only the JARs at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse and East County Hall of Justice are available for in-person jury selection. Prospective jurors participate in the voir dire process within the assigned trial department, in the JAR, and in additional overflow courtrooms as may be necessary to satisfy physical distancing recommendations. All involved locations are connected via a live audio-video BlueJeans link in order to enable jurors located outside the trial department to actively participate in the jury selection process.

While facilities will no longer be marked in 6-foot increments, in the interest of public health and safety the Court will continue to encourage visitors to maintain some element of physical distancing—including while seated in jury assembly rooms, courtrooms, and public spaces—and may restrict the number of court users able to enter certain offices, courtrooms, and other closed-in areas. However, members of the public may attend public court proceedings via the Court's Livestream audio link. Members of the media may also request video court access (or in-person if space permits) pursuant to Emergency Local Rule 1.7a.

• Consent to Conduct Remote Court Hearings By Two-Way Electronic Audio-Video Communication
• CRIM-EMER-001 - Waiver of Hearing and Admission on Revocation of Parole, PostRelease Community Supervision (PRCS), or Probation
• CR-002 – Misdemeanor Advisement of Rights, Waiver & Plea Form
• CR-002A – Misdemeanor Plea Attachment: VC 14601 Penalties
• CR-002B – Misdemeanor Plea Attachment: DUI Penalties
• CR-002C – Misdemeanor Plea Attachment: VC 23103 / 23103.5
• CRM-001 – Felony Waiver on Plea of Guilty/No Contest
• Fine and Fee Schedule
• Temporary Emergency Bail Schedule (Emergency Local Rule 4.115)
• 2021 Felony Bail Schedule

Both the Juvenile Justice (600’s) and Dependency (300’s) Divisions are conducting daily hearings, including Detentions, Jurisdiction & Disposition hearings, Report & Reviews, Placement Reviews, and Progress Reports.

Remote appearances are encouraged through the Court’s BlueJeans videoconference system. E-Filing of all pleadings and required documents is accepted. In person filing is permitted for initial 600 and 300 petitions, intake reports, warrants, and emergency medical requests.

With limited exception specified below, the Court’s Traffic offices are closed, and there will be no walk-in Traffic court during the public closure period. All traffic matters are being heard remotely via the Court’s BlueJeans videoconference system.

However, for those unable to appear remotely, the Court is offering limited in-person appearance opportunities as follows:

• Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., at the Fremont Hall of Justice
• Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse

In addition, as of May 6, 2021, clerk’s windows will be open to assist traffic litigants with filings and fine payments weekly, on Thursdays at Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. With this limited in-person opportunity, traffic litigants are encouraged to continue submitting filings via mail, drop box, or email to AskTraffic@alameda.courts.ca.gov.

Court users appearing in person must bring proof of their court date or traffic citation to be admitted to the courthouse and will be required to properly wear a face covering and comply with other health screening protocols.

Additional information concerning Traffic matters can be found on the Court’s Traffic web page here. Historic information about Traffic matters during the public closure period can be found here.

Questions and requests for in-person or remote court appearances can be submitted via email to AskTraffic@alameda.courts.ca.gov.

All Civil proceedings are currently being conducted remotely via videoconference, unless the Court orders in-person proceedings. Beginning September 1, 2021, Civil harassment hearings will be conducted in-person. Parties can contact the Court to request remote appearances. Beginning October 18, 2021, the Court will conduct some small claims hearings in-person. Parties can contact the Court to request remote appearances.

All Civil jury trials, including jury selection, are being conducted remotely via Zoom, unless the Court orders the trial to be conducted in-person. More specific jury selection information can be found here.

With the exception of Appeals, which may not be submitted via drop box, the Court is accepting all filings—including case-initiating documents—via mail, drop box, fax filing and in person. See Emergency Local Rule 1.8a and Local Rule 3.30 for details.

As of April 12, 2021, filings related to emergency restraining orders (including Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Civil Harassment, Workplace Violence, and Gun Violence) may be filed in person at the Hayward Hall of Justice, ., from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

As of June 21, 2021, Civil and small claims filings may be filed in person at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, , from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and the Hayward Hall of Justice, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Historic information about Civil matters during the public closure period can be found here.

Premium fax filing service has been suspended. However, regular fax filing service is available for most Civil, Family, and Probate documents. Documents received by 3:00 p.m. will be processed within three business days. See Emergency Local Rule 1.8a for details.

Court users are encouraged to access court records online through the Court’s DOMAINWeb portal and Odyssey Case Management System Portal. Juvenile records are not available online, and must be requested at the counter.

Notwithstanding the above, the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse is offering public terminal access in the Civil Division between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (with no access granted after 2:15 p.m.); and the Criminal Division between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (with no access granted after 2:45 p.m.). Public terminal usage will be limited to 30 minutes per user.

The George E. McDonald Hall of Justice is offering public terminal access and in person copy requests of Civil cases (including name changes), restraining orders, probate and small claims cases from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Public terminal/document viewing room usage will be limited to 30 minutes per user.

The Hayward Hall of Justice is offering public terminal access and in person copy requests for family law and restraining order cases between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Public terminal usage will be limited to 30 minutes per user.

As of Monday, May 3, 2021, filings related to Appeals may be filed in person in Room G-4 (lower level), from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m..

The Court is accepting all Probate filings via mail, drop box, fax filing and in person with the exception of Probate Letters with associated bonds, original wills and codicils which must be processed via mail, drop box or in person. See Emergency Local Rule 1.8a for details.

The Clerk’s Office at the Berkeley Courthouse is open and accepting Probate filings in person from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Drop boxes are located at the public entrance to Berkeley Courthouse and are available after in person filing closes from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Court staff will contact moving parties when the Court rules on their requests. Contact telephone numbers and email addresses must be included on pleadings.

Probate hearings are conducted remotely via telephone or videoconference, unless otherwise ordered. After the Court notifies the Petitioner of the hearing date, the Petitioner must notify all interested parties of the hearing date and the remote appearance requirement. See Emergency Local Probate Rule 7.180 for details.

Historic information about Probate matters during the public closure period can be found here.

The Court is accepting all family law filings in person, or by mail, drop box, and fax filing. See Local Rule 1.8.1 and Local Rule 1.9 for details. 

Beginning May 16, 2022, Departments 503, 516 and 522 will transition to in-person hearings. In Department 503, the following hearings will default to in-person hearings: Trials, Long Cause and Adoptions. The following hearings will continue to be held remotely: Orders to Show Cause, Family Law Status Conferences and Requests for Orders. In Departments 516 and 522, the following hearings will default to in-person hearings: Requests for Orders, Orders to Show Cause, Domestic Violence Restraining Orders, Long Cause and Trials, and Settlement Conferences. Please review the outline for additional details.

On June 13, 2022, Departments 507 and 510 will transition to in-person hearings. On July 18, 2022, Departments 513 and 515 will transition to in-person hearings.

The Court has posted guidelines to clarify the Court’s expectations for those families and parents with current child custody and visitation orders in place during the “shelter-in-place” and public Court closure resulting from the COVID19 crisis. Historic information about Family matters during the public closure period can be found in this Civil, Family and Probate Closure FAQ.

Family Court Services

Family Court Services is closed for in-person mediation appointments. Child Custody Recommending Counselors are currently conducting mediation sessions via Zoom videoconference system and will contact parties to schedule.

Telephone hours for Family Court Services are: 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The telephone number is (510) 690-2500.

With the exception of the filing-consultation opportunity at the Hayward Hall of Justice, the Court’s Self-Help Centers are closed for walk-in appointments, and all in-person Self-Help clinics have been suspended.

Self-Help Center staff are available to answer questions and provide assistance via telephone from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The Self-Help Center telephone number is (510) 272-1393. Self-Help Center staff are also available to answer questions and provide assistance via Live Chat service from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. For customers needing additional assistance, individual telephone or video appointments are also available.

• Self-Help Center and Family Law Facilitator's Office Hours and Location
• Services offered at the Self-Help Center and Family Law Facilitator's Office
• Self Help - How to prepare for your visit
• Representing Yourself

• English
• Arabic
• Chinese
• Farsi
• Korean
• Punjabi
• Russian
• Spanish
• Vietnamese

• Look up or pay your traffic ticket online
• Find your court date
• E-Filing (Criminal and Juvenile cases only)
• Fax Filing (Emergency-related Civil, Family and Probate documents)
• View and print publicly filed cases/documents (Civil and Probate cases only)
• Call the Self-Help Center: 510-272-1393 (Monday through Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

If you have additional questions about the Court’s response to COVID-19, please email the Court at covid19questions@alameda.courts.ca.gov.

• Archived General Orders regarding COVID-19
• Local Rules adopted to address COVID-19
• Additional COVID-19 Resources