Announcements
Information Regarding Coronavirus/COVID-19 and Court Operations
Annual Allocation of the Trial Court Budget from the Judicial Council for FY 2022-23
At its July 15, 2022 meeting, the Judicial Council of California (JCC) approved FY 2022-23 budget allocations to trial courts. Click on the links below to view the allocations for San Luis Obispo Superior Court.
JCC Item No: 22-044 Allocations from the Trial Court Trust Fund and Trial Court Allocations
JCC Item No: 22-121 Allocation of Court-Appointed Juvenile Dependency Counsel Funding
JCC Item No: 22-104 Allocation of Substance Abuse Focus Grants
Family Law Court Reporter Coverage
Due to budgetary constraints and effective immediately, court reporters will no longer be supplied by the court in any family law matter at any branch of the court in San Luis Obispo County. If you have paid any fees in advance to have a court reporter available, you may fill out a Request for Refund form to receive a refund. Please feel free to contact the family law department at (805) 706-3600 should you have any questions.
Civil Case FAX-Filing is no longer being offered
Please consider E-Filing. See the announcement below.
Civil E-Filing is now available
E-Filing is now available for all civil case types: Unlimited, Limited, Small Claims, Probate and Guardianships, Family Law, Family Support, Adoption and Mental Health.
Alert - Notice to Public of “Notice to Appear in Court” Email Scam
If you receive an email purporting to be from a clerk of the court referencing a “Notice to Appear in Court”, please delete it immediately. Do not open any attachments, click on any links, or unsubscribe. Doing so may install the malware/virus onto your computer.
San Luis Obispo Superior will never email a Notice to Appear in Court to the public.
Press Release
Superior Court of California
County of San Luis Obispo
Michael Powell, Court Executive Officer
1035 Palm Street, Room 385
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
(805) 706-3600
Memo - Designation of Complex Cases
August 8, 2012
The Court wishes to inform you that effective immediately, the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court will begin reviewing all civil case files for the purpose of identifying those cases that should be designated as a “complex case”. Complex cases must be designated by the plaintiff or defendant or jointly on the Civil Case Cover Sheet as provided by California Rules of Court, Rule 3.401-3.402. The Court is audited by the state for case types and procedures that affect the budget of the court and the allocation of judicial resources. In these tight budgetary times, our Court finds it necessary to more strictly enforce the Rules of Court regarding case types.
Each judge to whom civil cases are assigned shall determine (with or without a hearing) whether or not the case should be designated as complex pursuant to California Rules of Court, Rule 3.403. If the matter is designated as complex, and if all parties have not yet paid the complex case fee required by Government Code §26826.4, the Court shall order payment of that fee.
The Court will make every effort to determine whether a case is complex as soon as feasible after a case is filed. The judge assigned to the case has the continuing power, pursuant to California Rules of Court, Rule 3.403(b), to decide on its own motion or on noticed motion of any party, that a civil action is a complex case or that an action previously declared to be a complex case is not a complex case.
The Court would appreciate the cooperation and assistance of the lawyers appearing before us in properly designating complex cases.
Use of Court Reporters in Civil Matters
November 1, 2011
Use of Court Reporters in Civil Law Matters Due to inadequate funding caused by budget cutbacks, the Court regrets that it will no longer be able to provide court reporters in civil law matters. If you wish to have a matter reported, please make advance arrangements with any licensed reporter or reporting firm. The Court maintains a list of local reporters with court experience that is available upon request. This new policy will go into effect on Monday, November 14, 2011.
EZLegalFile to be Discontinued
Effective June 30, 2011, EZLegalFile will discontinue operations and go offline.
Please make every effort to complete and print your California court forms prior to this date. If you have previously completed forms that you wish to save, please print them for your records as this information will no longer be available for your use.
It has been our pleasure to provide the California public and the California Superior Courts with this award-winning service over the past ten years. Regrettably, ongoing reductions in court funding has necessitated that we discontinue this service. We would like to thank you for your past support in using the EZLegalFile service.
Notice To Forensic Evaluators
June 6, 2011 (updated from June 3 notice)
Compensation Rate Increase
Effective June 3, 2011, the flat fee rate for Penal Code Section 1026 and 1027 evaluations has been changed from a $300 flat rate to a $500 flat rate.
All orders for evaluations made prior to May 18, 2011 and billed before June 3, 2011 shall remain payable at the $300 flat fee rate. All orders for evaluation made after May 18, 2011 and billed after June 3, 2011 shall be paid $500 flat fee.
For further information, call (805) 706-3600.
Identity Theft Scam Alert
The San Luis Obispo Superior Court has become aware of telephone scams by identity thieves targeting members of the public. Identity thieves call, claiming to be court employees in need of personal information for jury service.
Similar scams have been reported recently in other California counties as well as other states. (See more details of a similar scam at the Los Angeles Superior Court.)
We urge all members of the public to be aware of such scams and be careful whenever you reveal confidential information over the telephone.
Our Policy
The San Luis Obispo Superior Court does not – and will not – telephone jurors or potential jurors to ask for personal financial information.
What To Do
The Court suggests that you hang up on any caller who claims to be a court employee seeking your financial information.