COVID-19 Civil FAQ

The Clerk's Offices are open for in-person transactions between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Clerk's Office employees are available to assist by telephone from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and are processing documents submitted by E-Filing or by U.S. Mail or Drop-Box (for self-represented parties only) throughout the day.
For questions regarding Civil cases, you may call:
Santa Maria: 805-614-6414
Santa Barbara: 805-882-4520

The clerk's office accepts filings in-person from self-represented litigants between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. All attorneys are required to E-file. Electronic filing is available here. If it is impossible for self-represented parties to file documents electronically, they may submit documents by U.S. mail to the proper courthouse location at the address listed on the Locations & Contact Info page of this website.

Self-represented parties may also use the drop boxes located in Santa Maria at the front of the Civil Clerk's Office; in Santa Barbara during business hours in front of the Civil Clerk's Office at 1100 Anacapa St; and in Lompoc at the entrance for Superior Court.

Self-represented parties may file by FAX in Santa Maria or Santa Barbara. FAX filings fees are $1.00 per page and you must include the Judicial Council FAX cover sheet, form MC-005, and include a credit card number and three-digit security code on the form.
Santa Barbara: 805.882.4519
Santa Maria: 805.614.6616

Many civil proceedings may be heard in person or by Zoom. The court no longer routinely allows the use of Court Call. Please refer to the Information/Process for Remote Appearance – Civil document for information on proceedings that require personal appearances and how to request appearance by Zoom.  See the Court Operations Plan information here.

On March 31, 2022, the California Governor approved Assembly Bill 2179, which extended through June 30, 2022, provisions of CCP 1179.11 prohibiting the issuance of summons in residential unlawful detainer actions based in whole or in part on rent due between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2022, unless a plaintiff can provide verification of having completed an application for government rental assistance to cover the rental debt demanded from the defendants in the case, and the application was denied, or the tenant failed to complete the application.

In Santa Barbara County, the United Way of Santa Barbara County administers the government rental assistance program. The United Way cannot determine eligibility without information from the tenant, thus, instructions on the United Way website directed landlords to provide tenants "reasonable notice of the availability of funds through United Way of Santa Barbara County's online application portal – https://www.unitedwaysb.org/rent". Landlords have the ability to obtain documentation from United Way to verify that the tenants have
not submitted an application for rental assistance. To obtain documentation, call the United Way at (805) 965-8591.

To check the status of your submitted application made through Housing is Key, go to https://housing.ca.gov or call (833)430-2122.

For applications denied by Housing is Key and redirected to go through the local network (United Way), the following will also apply.

For Residential UD actions filed before 7/1/22, based in whole or in part on nonpayment of rent that became due between 3/1/2020 – 3/31/2022, for a tenancy initially established before 10/1/2021:

For a summons to be issued:

1. The plaintiff must attach to the UD 101, Plaintiff's Mandatory Cover Sheet and Supplemental Allegations both of the following:
   A declaration, under penalty of perjury, stating that Santa Barbara County's provider of Rental Assistance, the United Way of Santa Barbara County, does not accept applications from landlords, and that before filing the complaint, the landlord provided the defendant tenants with the specific instructions on how to complete the United Way application for rental assistance before 4/1/2022, through the online application portal https://www.unitedwaysb.org/rent
    
2. The documentation obtained from the United Way stating all named defendant tenants have not submitted a completed application for rental assistance. (If an application has been submitted, you must attach documentation verifying the status of the application(s)).

If both of the above are attached to the UD-101, then #3 under item 3c on the UD-101 can be marked to indicate that the plaintiff completed an application for government rental assistance before filing the UD complaint.

For a Judgment or Default Judgment to be issued on residential UD actions based on nonpayment of rent or financial obligations due between 3/1/2020 and 3/31/2022, for a tenancy initially established before 10/1/2021:

In an action filed before April 1, 2022:
The plaintiff must file the above declaration and documentation obtained from the United Way

In an action filed on or after April 1, 2022, and before July 1, 2022:
The plaintiff must file the above declaration and documentation obtained from the United Way

Plaintiffs:

A Plaintiff in an unlawful detainer action must file Judicial Council form, UD-101 Plaintiff's Mandatory Cover Sheet and Supplemental Allegations, in addition to the CM-010, Civil Case Cover Sheet, and local form SC-2069, Civil Case Cover Sheet Addendum.

Plaintiffs must file mandatory form UD-120, Verification By Landlord Regarding Rental Assistance-Unlawful Detainer with any request for default judgment in an unlawful detainer action seeking possession of residential property based on nonpayment of rent or other financial obligations under a lease.

All form packets are available on the court's website, Forms Packets, under the Forms & Filing tab.

Please contact the assigned department for ex parte requests.
Dept. SM 2, SM 3 and LM 2: 805-614-6500
Dept. SM 4: 805-614-6515
Dept. SB 3 and SB 5: 805-882-4570
Dept. SB 4 and SB 6: 805-882-4590