Electronic Service of Court Notices to launch July 1st, 2025

Beginning July 1, 2025, California courts will be required to electronically serve court-issued notices to attorneys in civil cases, including family law matters. This change steams from amendments to Code of Civil Procedures §1010.6 and is implemented through California Rule of the Court 2.251.

What this New Rule Means:

• Mandatory eService by the Court: Courts must electronically serve all notices and documents to attorneys who appear in a case. This includes orders, rulings and other official court communications.
• Applies to Represented Parties: Attorneys representing clients are required to accept electronic service. Self-represented litigants may opt-in to eService by filing the Judicial Council of California form EFS-005-CV, “Consent to Electronic Service and Notice of Electronic Service Address” with the Court but are not required to do so.
• Compliance Requirement: Attorneys must ensure their email addresses are on file with the court. If not updated by July 1, 2025, the court will use the most recent email on record. The Judicial Council of California form EFS-010, “Notice of Change of Electronic Service Address” may be eFiled with the Court to update the attorney email address on file.
• Legal Effect: Electronic Service by the court is legally equivalent to service by mail, fax, or overnight delivery. Patries served electronically receive two additional court days to respond, per §1010.6.

This initiative is part of the court’s commitment to modernizing court procedures and improving efficiency. If you are an attorney practicing in California, now is the time to double check your contact information with the court!