California Code of Civil Procedure. California
thousand dollars ($25,000) or less. This paragraph does not apply to a case that involves the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, toll, or municipal fine, except an action to enforce payment of delinquent unsecured personal property taxes if the legality of the tax is not contested by the defendant.
(2) An action for dissolution of partnership where the total assets of the partnership do not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000); an action of interpleader where the amount of money or the value of the property involved does not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
(3) An action to cancel or rescind a contract when the relief is sought in connection with an action to recover money not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or property of a value not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), paid or delivered under, or in consideration of, the contract; an action to revise a contract where the relief is sought in an action upon the contract if the action otherwise is a limited civil case.
(4) A proceeding in forcible entry or forcible or unlawful detainer where the whole amount of damages claimed is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less.
(5) An action to enforce and foreclose a lien on personal property where the amount of the lien is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less.
(6) An action to enforce and foreclose, or a petition to release, a lien arising under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 8400) of Title 2 of Part 6 of Division 4 of the Civil Code, or to enforce and foreclose an assessment lien on a common interest development as defined in Section 4100 or 6534 of the Civil Code, where the amount of the liens is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less. However, if an action to enforce the lien affects property that is also affected by a similar pending action that is not a limited civil case, or if the total amount of liens sought to be foreclosed against the same property aggregates an amount in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), the action is not a limited civil case.
(7) An action for declaratory relief when brought pursuant to either of the following:
(A) By way of cross-complaint as to a right of indemnity with respect to the relief demanded in the complaint or a cross-complaint in an action or proceeding that is otherwise a limited civil case.
(B) To conduct a trial after a nonbinding fee arbitration between an attorney and client, pursuant to Article 13 (commencing with Section 6200) of Chapter 4 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, where the amount in controversy is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less.
(8) An action to issue a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction; to take an account, where necessary to preserve the property or rights of any party to a limited civil case; to make any order or perform any act, pursuant to Title 9 (commencing with Section 680.010) of Part 2 (enforcement of judgments) in a limited civil case; to appoint a receiver pursuant to Section 564 in a limited civil case; to determine title to personal property seized in a limited civil case.
(9) An action under Article 3 (commencing with Section 708.210) of Chapter 6 of Division 2 of Title 9 of Part 2 for the recovery of an interest in personal property or to enforce the liability of the debtor of a judgment debtor where the interest claimed adversely is of a value not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or the debt denied does not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
(10) An arbitration-related petition filed pursuant to either of the following:
(A) Article 2 (commencing with Section 1292) of Chapter 5 of Title 9 of Part 3, except for uninsured motorist arbitration proceedings in accordance with Section 11580.2 of the Insurance Code, if the petition is filed before the arbitration award becomes final and the matter to be resolved by arbitration is a limited civil case under paragraphs (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a) or if the petition is filed after the arbitration award becomes final and the amount of the award and all other rulings, pronouncements, and decisions made in the award are within paragraphs (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a).
(B) To confirm, correct, or vacate a fee arbitration award between an attorney and client that is binding or has become binding, pursuant to Article 13 (commencing with Section 6200) of Chapter 4 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, where the arbitration award is twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less.
(b) The following cases in equity are limited civil cases:
(1) A case to try title to personal property when the amount involved is not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
(2) A case when equity is pleaded as a defensive matter in any case that is otherwise a limited civil case.
(3) A case to vacate a judgment or order of the court obtained in a limited civil case through extrinsic fraud, mistake, inadvertence, or excusable neglect.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 181, Sec. 42) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 605, Sec. 22. Effective January 1, 2014.)
86.1. An action brought pursuant to the Long-Term Care, Health, Safety, and Security Act of 1973 (Chapter 2.4 (commencing with Section 1417) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code) is a limited civil case if civil penalties are not sought or amount to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less.
(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 29. Effective January 1, 2003.)
87. (a) A limited civil case may be brought in the small claims division if the case is within the jurisdiction of the small claims division as otherwise provided by statute. Where a statute or rule applicable to a small claims case conflicts with a statute or rule applicable to a limited civil case, the statute or rule applicable to a small claims case governs the small claims case and the statute or rule applicable to a limited civil case does not.
(b) Nothing in this section affects the jurisdiction of the small claims division as otherwise provided by statute.
(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 344, Sec. 3. Effective September 7, 1999.)
88. A civil action or proceeding other than a limited civil case may be referred to as an unlimited civil case.
(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 344, Sec. 4. Effective September 7, 1999.)
89. (a) The existence of a statute relating to the authority of the court in a limited civil case does not, by itself, imply that the same authority does or does not exist in an unlimited civil case.
(b) The existence of a statute relating to the authority of the court in an unlimited civil case does not, by itself, imply that the same authority does or does not exist in a limited civil case.
(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 44, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2002.)
ARTICLE 2. Economic Litigation for Limited Civil Cases
90. Except where changed by the provisions of this article, all provisions of law applicable to civil actions generally apply to actions subject to this article.
(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 149, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2004.)
91. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of this article apply to every limited civil case.
(b) The provisions of this article do not apply to any action under Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 116.110) or any proceeding under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1159) of Title 3 of Part 3.
(c) Any action may, upon noticed motion, be withdrawn from the provisions of this article, upon a showing that it is impractical to prosecute or defend the action within the limitations of these provisions.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 931, Sec. 36. Effective September 28, 1998.)
92. (a) The pleadings allowed are complaints, answers, cross-complaints, answers to cross-complaints and general demurrers.
(b) The answer need not be verified, even if the complaint or cross-complaint is verified.
(c) Special demurrers are not allowed.
(d) Motions to strike are allowed only on the ground that the damages or relief sought are not supported by the allegations of the complaint.