San Bernardino Ex Parte Deadlines: Noon to File, and the Reservation Comes First

Not legal advice. Rules attested September 29, 2026; last full pass August 17, 2026. Verify every date yourself. Read the full disclaimer

Each verified rule carries its own date on the methodology page, all of them September 29, 2026: the date the maintaining attorney last attested it. The last full pass, signed off on August 17, 2026, checked the rules against their official sources (the code, the California Rules of Court, or for court holidays the Judicial Council calendar), with the exceptions listed on the about page. Rules still awaiting sign-off are listed on the methodology page as not yet verified. County local rules are paraphrased summaries. Individual department and judge standing orders are included only where the court publishes them and we have read the document, so assume your own department has requirements beyond what you see here. Verify every date against the operative code sections, your court's rules and your department's own order before relying on it. Using this site creates no attorney-client relationship.

The two hours San Bernardino prints are the straightforward part. Rule 731 puts the application in by 12:00 p.m. on the court day preceding the scheduled hearing. The notice hour is written into the local rule rather than left to the state one: a party seeking an ex parte order must notify all parties no later than 10:00 A.M. on the court day before the ex parte appearance, as provided by the California Rules of Court, rule 3.1203. That restates the statewide hour. It binds because rule 3.1203(a) says so, not because the county repeats it. The calculator below runs both.

The requirement that decides the application is not printed as a time at all. A general civil motion, including an ex parte motion, must have its hearing date and time reserved before e-filing, and an e-filed motion without a reserved date will be rejected. Reservations are made by contacting the department directly, and no lead time is published, so there is no hour to count back to. What the two rules fix between them is the order and the outer limit: the reservation has to be in hand before the e-filing, and the e-filing has to be done by noon the court day before the hearing.

Two more conditions sit outside the clock. Rule 731 makes payment of the fee a precondition to making the application, excepting only appointment of a guardian ad litem and approval of an undertaking or attachment. And where the matter is heard depends on the district: the Rancho District hears ex parte Monday to Thursday at 9:00 a.m., while the San Bernardino Justice Center hears them Monday to Friday at times set by the Schedule of Assignments. Each district publishes its own Calendaring Guidelines. E-filing has been mandatory for General Civil, meaning unlimited, limited and complex, since September 2, 2025, with self-represented parties exempt from the mandate.

Your dates

The rule, before you enter anything

Notify all parties no later than 10:00 a.m. on the court day before the ex parte appearance. CRC 3.1203(a). That is a clock deadline, not a date deadline. It is not extended by mail or electronic service, and if the day before the hearing is not a court day the deadline moves to the preceding court day, never the following one.

Then there is the county filing deadline, which is usually the one that bites. Enter a date and pick your county.

The San Bernardino rule, in full

Filing: All ex parte applications must be filed no later than 12:00 p.m. on the court day preceding the scheduled hearing (Rule 731).
Reservation: Required. "General civil motion, including ex parte motion, hearing date and times must be reserved before eFiling," and an e-filed motion without a reserved date "will be rejected." Contact the department directly. No lead time published.
Notice: Rule 731 writes the hour out: "A party seeking an ex parte order must notify all parties no later than 10:00 A.M. on the court day before the ex parte appearance as provided by the California Rules of Court, rule 3.1203." That restates the statewide rule rather than adding to it: the deadline binds because CRC 3.1203(a) says so, not because the county repeats it.
Opposition: Nothing recorded. This site holds no finding either way on a county-wide opposition deadline here, which is not the same as a finding that none exists.
When heard: Varies by district. Rancho District: Monday to Thursday 9:00 a.m. San Bernardino Justice Center: Monday to Friday, times per the Schedule of Assignments.
Fees: Rule 731 makes fee payment a precondition to making the application, excepting only a guardian ad litem appointment and approval of an undertaking or attachment.
E-filing: Mandatory for General Civil (unlimited, limited, complex) effective Sept 2 2025. Self-represented parties exempt.
Department variation: Each district publishes Calendaring Guidelines; hearing times vary by department per the Schedule of Assignments.
Rules relied on: SBSC Rule 731 (Civil Ex Parte Applications); Rule 741; Rules 1800/1810/1830 (e-filing)
Edition read: Local Rules eff. Jul 1 2026; Rule 731 amended eff. Jan 1 2017. Court source

FAQ

What is the San Bernardino ex parte filing deadline?

12:00 p.m. on the court day preceding the scheduled hearing. SBSC Rule 731 requires all ex parte applications to be filed no later than that hour.

Do you have to reserve a San Bernardino ex parte hearing?

Yes, and the reservation has to come first. General civil motion, including ex parte motion, hearing date and times must be reserved before eFiling, and an e-filed motion without a reserved date will be rejected. Reservations are made by contacting the department directly. No lead time for making one is published, so there is no published hour to count back to. What the rules do fix is the order and the outer limit: the reservation precedes the e-filing, and the e-filing is due by noon the court day before the hearing.

When is ex parte notice due in San Bernardino?

10:00 a.m. on the court day before the ex parte appearance. Rule 731 writes the hour out: a party seeking an ex parte order must notify all parties no later than 10:00 A.M. on the court day before the ex parte appearance as provided by the California Rules of Court, rule 3.1203. That restates the statewide rule. The deadline binds because rule 3.1203(a) says so, not because the county repeats it.

Is there an opposition deadline for a San Bernardino ex parte?

Nothing recorded. This site holds no finding either way on a county-wide opposition deadline here, which is not the same as a finding that none exists.

When are ex parte matters heard in San Bernardino?

It depends on the district. The Rancho District hears ex parte Monday to Thursday at 9:00 a.m. The San Bernardino Justice Center hears them Monday to Friday, at times set by the Schedule of Assignments. Each district publishes its own Calendaring Guidelines, and hearing times vary by department.

Do you have to pay the filing fee before applying?

Rule 731 makes fee payment a precondition to making the application. It excepts only two things: appointment of a guardian ad litem, and approval of an undertaking or attachment.

Is e-filing mandatory in San Bernardino?

Yes for General Civil, covering unlimited, limited and complex, effective September 2, 2025. Self-represented parties are exempt from the mandate. The e-filing rules are 1800, 1810 and 1830.

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