Election-Related Emergencies:

The court and clerk’s office are open on Election Day during normal court hours between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Persons needing urgent after-hours election-related relief should first contact the Voters Hotline for their county’s Registrar of Voters. Contact information for
each county’s Registrar of Voters can be found here:  County Elections Offices: California Secretary of State

The Voter Bill of Rights is available on the Secretary of State’s webpage at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-bill-rights/.

General voter information can be found on the website of the Orange County Registrar of Voters, at https://ocvote.gov.

Unlawful Detainer

About Unlawful Detainer

IMPORTANT: As of 10/1/2025, a landlord can no longer sue in Small Claims court for unpaid COVID-19 rental debt above $12,500. COVID-19 rental debt means unpaid rent and other costs incurred before Sept. 30, 2021, due to COVID-19.

An Unlawful Detainer action is a special court proceeding to evict a tenant from a business or residence.

Helpful Resources

Access information about evictions, foreclosures, and security deposits. Find instructions, forms, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Eviction & Housing

Evictions (Unlawful Detainer)
Learn about the eviction process with a guide for landlords, a guide for tenants, detailed instructions, forms, and resources.

Foreclosure
Find information and resources regarding the foreclosure process.

Security Deposits
Learn about security deposits, what are valid legal reasons for a landlord to keep all or part of a security deposit, and how to go to court to ask for the return of a security deposit.

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Eviction cases in California

This guide includes information about:

The information is only for evictions from a home or apartment. Talk to a lawyer for help with commercial (business) evictions.

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