Search Glossary

A civil action in which recovery of more than a certain amount ($35,000 in California for cases filed after Jan. 1, 2024, $25,000 for cases filed before then)  is sought.

An agreement where one party has no meaningful choice but to agree, and contract terms which are unreasonably favorable to the other party.

A defendant who files a cross-complaint against the plaintiff, a co-party, or a non-party for liability arising out of the same event or transaction as the original complaint. From that point on, the defendant is referred to as the “Defendant/Cross-Complainant.”

A party who is sued by a Defendant/Cross-Complainant in an ongoing case. The Cross-Defendant may be the plaintiff or a co-defendant in the original case, or may be a non-party, so long as the cross-complaint arises out of the same event or transaction as the complaint.

In Federal law, a claim brought by a defendant or plaintiff against a co-party. In California law, this is included in the term “Cross-Complaint.”

In Federal law, a claim brought by the defendant against the plaintiff. In California law, this is included in the term “Cross-Complaint.”

Personal injury law (also known as “tort” law) allows an injured person to file a civil lawsuit in court and get a legal remedy (“damages”) for all losses stemming from an accident or other incident. The purpose of the personal injury system is to allow the injured person to be compensated financially or “made whole” after he or she has suffered harm due to someone else’s negligent or intentional conduct.

A grant deed is used to transfer ownership of real estate from a grantor (the owner of a property) to a grantee (the buyer). In a grant deed, the grantor is guaranteeing that there have been no problems with the title during the time that the grantor has held it, and that the property has not already been transferred to someone else.

California Elections Code

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Military and veterans

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Materials that discuss, explain, analyze, and critique the law. They can provide context, help a researcher find cases, statutes, or other relevant material. Examples include treatises, encyclopedias, annotations, form books, and law journal articles. Secondary sources are never mandatory authority and cannot be cited in court filings, except as persuasive authority if no case or statute applies.

Appearance Progress Report. A court order for a report by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on an issue requested by the court.

Alternative Dispute Resolution. Methods of resolving disputes without official court proceedings. Common methods include mediation and arbitration.

Court Appointed Special Advocates. Volunteers appointed by the court to advocate for the best interest of a child who is the subject of a court proceeding due to abuse or neglect, or the agency that oversees the program.

Calendar days include all the days of the year, including weekdays, weekends, and holidays.

Court days refer to those days in which the courts are actually open and doing business. Generally in California, that means Monday-Friday, except court holidays. Note: California courts close for some holidays that are not universally recognized: Lincoln’s Birthday (February 12), Cesar Chavez Day (March 31), Juneteenth (May 19) and Native American Day (fourth Friday in September). They do not close for Columbus Day (second Monday in October).

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Having no assets or income which is subject to collection after judgment is entered. This does not prevent a creditor from filing and winning a judgment, but it can make a judgment worthless. A true judgment proof debtor is not employed and has no future prospects of finding employment, lives on government pensions or retirement, and has no funds in his or her checking or savings accounts that do not stem directly from exempt (protected) funds.

Most motions are defined as “Law and Motion” matters, which are heard in Department 53 at 1:30 p.m. or Department 54 at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday-Thursday.

This tip applies only to Sacramento County Superior Court. If your case is in a different county, check with that court’s clerk or website for that county’s rules and procedures, which will be different.

Which department you are assigned to depends on when your case was filed.

Since about April 16, 2023, cases are assigned to a department when they were filed based on how busy the departments are. Your department is listed on the case’s entry in the court’s database, which is free to use.

Before about April 16, 2023, odd numbered cases were automatically assigned to Dept. 53, and even numbered cases to Dept. 54. (There are occasional exceptions, so if you’ve been assigned to one or the other in the past, use that one.)