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  COVID-19 Information & Updates on Court Operations

Last Updated: 05/29/2020 at 4:30 pm

Those feeling ill and experiencing flu-like symptoms, have a fever, are coughing or sneezing, should not come to the courthouse. Contact your attorney or the court for assistance.

The Riverside Superior Court is committed to protecting the health and safety of our community while performing our constitutional duties. Following guidelines provided by Governor Newsom’s executive orders and the County of Riverside’s orders by the Public Health Officer, the court has suspended all non-essential functions and is hearing only specific limited emergency matters at this time; many court locations are closed through June 12, 2020 and have limited public hours. (See charts below for details.)

Over the coming days and weeks, the Riverside Superior Court may be frequently changing the services available to the public. Given the fluid nature of this COVID-19 crisis, and the ever-changing availability of resources, you are encouraged to check this website frequently.

Court Appearances (Hearings)

The court is beginning to resume hearings in certain case types. When your case is set for a hearing, the court will send you either a Notice of Hearing or Notice of Telephonic Hearing. Review this notice carefully, as it will indicate whether the hearing will be conducted live, in-person or telephonically (by phone).

Note: 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 court 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 required to appear by telephone. The notice you received contains information you will need to attend the hearing by telephone, including the courthouse location, department (courtroom), and date and time.

Click here to view Instructions for Telephonic Courtroom Appearances via Webex (pdf ).

When prompted, enter the Webex meeting ID for the department where the hearing will take place. Click here for Webex Courtroom Information (pdf ), including Meeting ID numbers for each courtroom/department.

The court encourages parties to review the Telephone and Video Etiquette for Court Hearings overview (pdf ) prior to the hearing.

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.

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. Please note that the eSubmit fee of $1.85 is being suspended through June 30th, 2020. Alternatively, documents can also be mailed to the court for processing. See the court locations & parking page for courthouse addresses.

• Note: the court is only processing certain documents relating to emergency and essential matters at this time. All other documents may be submitted, but will not be reviewed or filed until the court resumes normal operations.

Courthouse Closures and Limited Public Service Hours

Click here for information about court locations and addresses.

Court Location / Division	Operations From 03/20/20 Through 06/12/20	Limited Public Hours
Banning Justice Center	Criminal Master Calendar Courtroom	Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Corona Court	Closed	Closed
Hemet Justice Center	Closed	Closed
Riverside Historic Courthouse	Closed	Limited Services Beginning 6/8/2020
Moreno Valley Courthouse	Closed	Closed
Palm Springs Courthouse	Closed	Limited Services Beginning 6/8/2020
Riverside Family Law	Closed	Limited Services Beginning 6/8/2020
Temecula Courthouse	Closed	Closed
Blythe Courthouse	Limited emergency matters only Criminal, Civil/Family Law courtroom	Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Riverside Hall of Justice	Limited emergency matters only Criminal Courtroom Family Law Courtroom Civil/Probate/LPS Courtroom	Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Larson Justice Center	Limited emergency matters only Criminal Courtroom Family Law Courtroom Civil/Probate/LPS Courtroom Dependency & Delinquency Courtroom	Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Riverside Juvenile	Limited emergency matters only Dependency & Delinquency Courtroom	Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Southwest Justice Center	Limited emergency matters only Criminal Courtroom Family Law Courtroom Civil/Probate/LPS Courtroom	Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Southwest Juvenile	Limited emergency matters only Dependency & Delinquency Courtroom	Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Records Center	Closed	Closed
Riverside Centre (ECD)	Closed	Closed
Self Help Center	Closed	Closed
Appeals and Exhibits	Closed	Closed
Court's Executive Office	Closed	Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Available by phone only

Limited Emergency Matters (by Case Type)

• The court continues to hear in-custody arraignments via video for both misdemeanor and felony cases, preliminary hearings where time has not been waived, bail motions, priority sentencing hearings and is accepting bail motions, 977 waivers, OR Release Agreements, stipulations, and ex parte gun violence restraining orders.
• All criminal jury trials are being continued for a period of 60 days from the date the trial was set or extended.
• For Law Enforcement:
  • A Daytime Duty Judge is available at open court locations.
  • Search Warrants are being accepted electronically.
  • Night and Weekend Magistrate services are still available.
  • Daytime Emergency Protective Order (EPO) requests can be made.
• Court Clerk’s Office staff are only processing criminal filings (documents) related to the limited emergency matters being heard by the Court.
• For more information about criminal matters, please see the Criminal Cases Frequently Asked Questions (pdf ).
• For Program Enrollments and Completion Dates, click here (pdf ).

• The court continues to accept temporary civil harassment restraining orders, other types of temporary civil restraining orders, requests to renew restraining orders, ex parte applications, stipulations, and inspection and abatement warrants.
• Limited civil trials are suspended until May 25, 2020.
• Unlimited and complex civil court and jury trials will be scheduled at Trial Setting Conference (TSC) hearings only. Litigants that would like to seek priority on a trial date may either stipulate or file an ex parte to shorten the time on the TSC. The court will not accept stipulations to set trial dates.
• The court has issued a General Order Re: Civil Division Reorganization (pdf ) pertaining to Unlimited and Complex Civil cases. For more information,
  please see the Unlimited Civil Division Emergency Reorganization Order Frequently Asked Questions (pdf ).
• 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.
• All other civil matters are being continued. Notice of your new hearing will be mailed by the Court. You can also check the status of your case online.
• ADR and Mediation Services will be suspended.
• Court Clerk’s Office staff are only processing civil filings (documents) related to the limited emergency matters being heard by the Court.

• The court continues to accept ex parte domestic violence restraining order requests, requests to renew restraining orders, request to dismiss restraining orders, ex parte applications. stipulations, and surrogacy petitions wherein birth is imminent in-person at the Blythe Courthouse, Hall of Justice, Larson Justice Center and Southwest Justice Center.
• Effective May 18, 2020, the court will rescind the court holiday provision as to family law filings and DCSS documents. Customers may file documents online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal, Mail or by placement in the drop box.
• On May 18, 2020, the court resume in-person hearings on permanent restraining orders at the Blythe Courthouse, the Hall of Justice, Southwest Justice Center, and Larson Justice Center.
• On May 18, 2020, the court will conduct mediations via videoconference or telephonically. (Telephonic appearances for mediations will need prior approval).
• On June 8, 2020, Requests for Orders (RFOs) proceedings will be heard telephonically.
• On June 15, 2020, the family law clerk’s office will resume accepting of all Adoption and Termination of Parental Rights filings and rescind the court holiday provision. Customers may file documents online via the eSubmit Document Submission Portal, Mail or by placement in the drop box.

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:

• Family Law Orders During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (pdf )
• Declaration Re: Supplemental Information and Request for Order (RI-FL073) (pdf )
• Request and Order to Withdraw Request for Order (RI-FL074) (pdf )
• Information Sheet re: Stipulation and Order Re: Ruling on Request for Order Without Hearing (RI-FL075INFO) (pdf )
• Stipulation and Order Re: Ruling on Request for Order Without Hearing (RI-FL075) (pdf )

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:
  • CCRC Intake Questionnaire (pdf )
  • Parent Orientation (external site )
  • Instructions for CCRC videoconference appointment (pdf )

Supervised Visitation

• The Judicial Council of California has published a tip sheet regarding Supervised Visits with Your Child During the Coronavirus Crisis.

Emergency Protective Order (EPO)

• For Law Enforcement:
  • Daytime Emergency Protective Order (EPO) calls will still be accepted.

Case Information

• You can also check the status of your case online.

• The following essential matters continue to be heard telephonically: temporary guardianship and temporary conservatorship cases, LPS conservatorships, and accept ex parte elder abuse restraining orders, requests to renew restraining orders, ex parte applications, stipulations, guardianship status reports and petitions for compromise of disputed claims of minors and persons with disabilities.
• Effective 5/11/2020, all probate documents will be accepted for filing and are to be submitted by eSubmit, U.S. Mail or dropped off in a drop box located at Riverside Historic Courthouse, Temecula Courthouse or Palm Springs Court house. Only those documents related to the essential matters (above) can be delivered in-person to the Hall of Justice, Larson Justice Center or Southwest Justice Center.
• Effective 5/18/2020, in-person hearings will be permitted for Elder Abuse Restraining Orders only at the temporary location at either the Hall of Justice or Larson Justice Center.
• You can also check the status of your case online.
• Probate Investigator interviews will be conducted telephonically or by other remote means.
• Telephonic appearances information and instructions:
  • For hearings calendared from 5/11/2020 to 6/12/2020, please click here for instructions.
  • For hearings calendared on or after 6/15/2020, please click here for instructions.

• The court continues to hear detention hearings, jurisdiction/disposition matters when the minor is detained, detention hearings on 777 petitions when the minor is detained, 15-day review hearings, requests to re-enter foster care, emergency medical requests, requests for warrants, psychotropic medication applications, and accept ex parte applications and stipulations.
• All other juvenile delinquency matters will be continued. Notice of your new hearing will be mailed by the Court.
• Court Clerk’s Office staff are only processing delinquency filings (documents) related to the limited emergency matters being heard by the Court.

• The court continues to hear detention hearings, requests to re-enter foster care, emergency medical requests, psychotropic medication applications, and accept restraining order applications, ex parte applications and stipulations.
• All other juvenile dependency matters will be continued.
• For the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS):
  • A daytime judge is available for Protective Custody Warrants at open juvenile court locations.
  • Protective Custody Warrants are being accepted electronically.
  • Night and Weekend Magistrate services are still available.
• Court Clerk’s Office staff are only processing dependency filings (documents) related to the limited emergency matters being heard by the Court.

• The Court has postponed all traffic matters, including night court, for 90 days. All traffic matters with a date to appear from March 16, 2020 through June 14, 2020 are being reset on a rolling basis. Notice of your new date to appear will be mailed by the Court. You can also check the status on your traffic ticket online.
• Traffic court trials will be continued for a period of 60 days from the date the trial was set or extended. Notice of new traffic court trial dates will be mailed to all parties.
• The Court Clerk’s Offices for traffic are closed and there will be no walk-in traffic court during the public closure period.
• 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 to handle your traffic ticket.

• All small claims hearings, including those scheduled for night court, are postponed for 90 days. Notice of your new hearing will be mailed by the Court. You can also check the status of your case online.
• The Court Clerk’s Offices for small claims matters are closed.

• All unlawful detainer matters are postponed for 60 days, except for ex parte applications and stipulations.
• The Court Clerk’s Offices for unlawful detainer matters are closed. Court Clerk’s Office staff are only processing unlawful detainer filings (documents) related to the limited emergency matters being heard by the Court.

• The court continues to hear Riese matters.
• The court is accepting Emergency writs challenging COVID-19 measures.
• The court is accepting Writs of Habeas Corpus challenging medical quarantines.

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