California Courts Suspend Most Evictions During COVID-19 Emergency

California’s Judicial Council took action yesterday to maintain housing and prevent crowding in our state’s courtrooms during the COVID-19 public health emergency.  The Council’s 11 temporary emergency rules are designed to prevent evictions and foreclosures during the emergency period, to reduce in-person court appearances wherever possible by permitting remote court operations and proceedings, and to alleviate jail overcrowding by setting an emergency statewide bail  schedule with a $0 bail amount for most misdemeanor and lower-level felony offenses.

The approved rule changes, will effectively suspend most evictions in California by suspending tenants’ obligation to quickly file a response, and by stating that no default judgments will be issued against clients for the duration of the shelter-in-place order. The rules also protect homeowners, suspending all judicial foreclosures during the same period.

The rules, which go into effect immediately, establish a statewide judicial priority on public health and the health of court workers, including a recognition of the need to preserve housing during this crisis.