Remote Appearances

Please file Notice of Remote Appearance (RA-010) with the Appeals Division to request a remote appearance in an Appellate Division hearing. On page 3 of the form, please read the "Instructions for Giving Notice of Remote Appearance.”
 

Anyone intending to appear remotely must provide notice to all other parties by the deadlines stated in California Rules of Court, rule 3.672.  Notice may be provided orally, electronically, or by giving the other parties this form in a way to ensure it is received by the applicable deadline. The requesting party must tell the court this was done by either filing a separate proof of service, or by completing the Declaration of Notice section on page two of the RA-010 Notice of Remote Appearance. 

Information on completing the form: 

On page 1, the following must be addressed:

• Complete top left corner of document. 
• Be sure to include a telephone number, a mailing address and an email address on your document, as the appeals clerk may need to reach out directly to the party if there are questions or a short mailing time for an order to be sent.

• In Section 1, a box must be checked indicating the role, and the name of the person who intends to appear remotely must be filled out.
• In Section 2, either box "a" or "b" must be checked.
  
  • If box "b" is checked, the hearing information, including the hearing date, must be completed. 
• In section 3, choose the type of appearance requested, either video conference or audio/telephonic only. 
• In section 4, complete this section only if applicable.
• In section 5, on page 2 check box if applicable, then enter the date, type or print the name of the party, and sign the document.

On page 2, the “Declaration of Notice” must be completed, or a separate proof of service must be completed and submitted with the RA-010 form. 

• Complete the applicable sections for parties served, methods, and dates. 
• Under “I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct”:  complete the date, type or print your name, and then sign the form. 
   

E-filing is not available for appeals or appeal related documents. Documents must be sent to the attention of the Appeals Division, PO Box 1098, Modesto, CA 95353-1098, or they may be brought to the Appeals Division at 1100 I Street, Window 9, Modesto, CA or deposited into the drop box in that location.

Please visit the websites for the Fifth District Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of California for remote appearance information specific to each court.
 

VCourt

Remote hearings in Civil and Probate matters are conducted using VCourt, a telephonic appearance system. All telephonic appearances in civil and probate cases must be scheduled here or by clicking the “Schedule or Cancel Appearance” button at the bottom of this page. Telephonic appearances cannot be scheduled by phone. If you experience any issues with VCourt, you must contact VCourt directly.

This Court waives notice of parties appearing remotely for Case Management Conferences, Law and Motion hearings, and Ex Parte hearings. Therefore, a Notice of Remote Appearance (Form RA-010) should not be filed for these appearances.

Hearings for Which Telephonic Appearances Are Not Allowed

Telephonic appearances are generally authorized under California Rules of Court, rule 3.670. However, as specified in Rule 3.670(e), telephonic appearances are generally not permitted for the following matters:

• Trials, hearings, and proceedings where witnesses are expected to testify (including small claims and unlawful detainer hearings)
• Hearings on temporary restraining orders
• Mandatory settlement conferences
• Trial management and trial issue conferences
• Hearings on motions in limine
• Hearings on petitions to confirm the sale of property under the Probate Code
• Persons ordered to appear in an order or citation issued under the Probate Code

Telephonic Appearance Fee/Payment

Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 10.815, the fee for telephonic appearances is equivalent to the court's cost of providing the service. The fee is $35 per appearance. If a party has a fee waiver on file for the case in which the hearing is scheduled, the telephonic appearance fee will be waived. (Note: It is not sufficient to have only applied for a fee waiver; it must have been granted for the fee to be waived.)

For cases with multiple hearings scheduled on the same day in the same department, a single $35 appearance fee is required. To avoid being charged additional fees, only one hearing should be selected during VCourt registration. The provided pin number is valid for one person at a time. If multiple people wish to join, each must register individually.

For cases with multiple hearings at different times on the same day, the $35 fee applies to each scheduled hearing.

Payment may be made via Visa, Mastercard (credit and debit), or American Express only. Payments cannot be made using cash, paper checks, or e-checks.

There is a non-refundable $2.35 credit card processing fee per transaction.

Late Payment

A late request fee of $10 will be charged for telephonic appearances if the request is made less than two (2) days before the scheduled appearance, except in the following cases:

• When an opposing party has provided timely notice of telephonic appearance for an ex parte application or similar hearing
• When the Court sets a hearing on less than two (2) days' notice
• When a tentative ruling is posted within the two (2) day period prior to the hearing
• When a party receives notice of another party’s intent to appear telephonically and responds by noon on the court day prior to the hearing

Confirmation

After payment is received, you will receive an email confirming the details of your telephonic appearance. The confirmation will include the toll-free dial-in number, a conference ID, and a unique PIN for your use. The PIN can only be used by one person at a time.

If you do not receive confirmation within two hours, contact vcourt@stanct.org for assistance.

You will also receive an email reminder the day before your hearing.

Day of Appearance

On the day of your hearing, please call the number provided in your confirmation at least five (5) minutes before the hearing is scheduled to begin. When prompted, enter the conference ID and PIN provided. Wait until your case is called.

If you join after the court session has started, the court clerk will be aware due to your unique PIN. Please do not interrupt the proceedings.

Cancellations

Cancellations must be made via this link or by using the “Cancel Appearance” button below. To be eligible for a refund, cancellations must be made before 5:00 p.m. (PST) on the day before the scheduled hearing. Refunds will not be issued if the hearing is not cancelled via the website.

A $5 fee may be charged if a party cancels a telephonic appearance but does not appear.

Failure to cancel by 5:00 p.m. (PST) the day before the scheduled hearing will result in forfeiture of the entire appearance fee.

Hearings continued or cancelled by the Court:

If your hearing is continued or cancelled by the Court (including by tentative ruling), no charge will be applied for the telephonic appearance, provided the cancellation occurs by 5:00 p.m. (PST) the day before the hearing.

If your hearing is continued to a new date, you must cancel the original telephonic appearance and complete a new transaction for the new date. Payments do not carry over to a new date, nor will your telephonic appearance be automatically rescheduled.

Full refunds (including the $5 cancellation fee) are only issued for hearings cancelled or continued by the Court without a hearing.

Hearings cancelled or continued by a party:

To receive a refund, you must cancel your telephonic appearance before 5:00 p.m. (PST) on the day before the scheduled hearing. If you are continuing a hearing, you must cancel the original telephonic appearance and then complete a new transaction for the new hearing date.

Payments do not carry over to the new hearing date.

Hearings that are continued or dropped:

If you appear telephonically and the hearing is continued or dropped, you are not eligible for a refund. If the hearing is continued, you must complete a new transaction if you wish to appear on the new date.

Refunds

Only telephonic appearances cancelled according to the instructions above are eligible for a refund. Refunds are processed automatically upon cancellation. Due to system limitations, refunds will be processed five days after the hearing date. Once processed, refunds may take 7-10 business days to appear in your account. If multiple hearings were scheduled in a single transaction, refunds will not be processed until five days after the final hearing in the transaction.

Schedule or Cancel Appearance

To schedule or cancel a telephonic appearance, click the button below if you agree to the terms and conditions outlined above.

Schedule or Cancel Appearance

To request Zoom links for hearings, send an e-mail to criminalzoomrequests@stanct.org .

Zoom links are for counsel and pro per parties who have prior authorization to appear via Zoom. If you are represented by an attorney, you must contact your attorney with your request. When emailing, please provide the case number.

To request a remote appearance in a family law matter, please complete and file the Request for Remote Appearance forms RA-010 and RA-020.  If your request is approved, the RA-020 form will indicate "Granted" and will include the telephone number for the department where you are scheduled to appear. On the date and time of your appearance, dial the provided number and wait for your case to be called. This is the direct line into the courtroom.

Please note that telephonic appearances cannot be scheduled by phone.

Remote appearances in Juvenile proceedings are governed by both local court rules, the California Rules of Court, Rule 3.672, and Welfare and Institutions Code section 679.5.

Dependency (WIC §300)

Proceedings in Dependency court may be conducted in whole or in part through remote technology at the discretion of the Judicial Officer for all hearings. Remote appearances at contested hearings must be expressly granted by the court and agreed to by all parties.

Juvenile Justice (WIC §602)

Proceedings in Juvenile Justice may be conducted in whole or in part using remote technology. A minor has the right to be physically present at any juvenile justice proceeding and has the right, subject to an express waiver, to the physical presence of defense counsel. If the minor is physically present in court, defense counsel shall be physically present absent exceptional circumstances and an express waiver from the minor.

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If remote appearances are permitted in the case, the attorneys and/or District Attorney will provide the Zoom links to the parents and other relevant parties.

Telephonic appearances must be requested by phone. To contact the Turlock Clerk’s Office, call 209-530-3100, then select option 6, followed by option 3. When requesting a telephonic appearance, please provide the following information:

• All parties' first and last names (or the name of the authorized agent, if applicable)
• The requesting party's role (plaintiff or defendant)
• Hearing date
• Premises address (for unlawful detainer cases)
• A direct telephone number (no phone tree numbers or extensions)

Telephonic appearances will not be approved for the following hearing types or if the requesting party needs an interpreter:

• Court Trials (UD)
• OEX hearings (SC or UD)
• Return on Bench Warrant (SC or UD)
• Order to Show Cause hearings (SC or UD)

There are no fees associated with telephonic appearances for hearings held in Department 19.

When you call to request a telephonic appearance, the clerk may be able to inform you if your request has been granted. If the clerk cannot provide immediate approval, you will be called back with the decision.

If your telephonic appearance is approved, you must be available to receive the court's call on the hearing date between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The court will contact you as soon as possible, but please note that cases involving parties physically present will be heard before those appearing telephonically. The caller ID will display the call as coming from Campbell, CA.

Setting the First Hearing

Arraignment appointments are scheduled by appointment through Calendly.
After selecting your case type and choosing a date and time, you will be asked a series of 10 questions.  The last question will ask, “Would you like to appear via Zoom?”  If you wish to appear via Zoom, answer "YES".  The Zoom link will be sent to the email address you provided—please verify that the email is correct before submitting your request.  Your request will be automatically approved.

After the Hearing is Set
If your hearing is already scheduled, or if the hearing is not an arraignment, you can request to appear via Zoom by emailing Traffic.Requests@stanct.org or by calling (209) 530-3100, option 1.
The clerk will forward your request to the courtroom for approval.
It is your responsibility to follow up with the Court (via email or phone) to confirm if the request was granted.

On the Day of the Hearing

• If your request was approved, the Zoom link will be sent to the email address you provided to the Court.
• The link will be sent when the court is ready to call your case, not before the scheduled hearing date and time.