THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF VENTURA: REDUCTION IN CLERK’S OFFICE HOURS

Effective July 6, 2022

Pursuant to Government Code §68106, the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura, is providing 60 days’ notice of a reduction of hours for the public counters and telephones for the listed Clerk’s Offices.

Effective Wednesday, July 6, 2022 – September 30, 2022:

The in-person appointment hours for the Family Law, Probate, Civil, Small Claims, Appeals, Mental Health, Juvenile Clerk’s Offices, and Records & Exhibits Departments will be changing on Thursdays and Fridays, only. (Criminal/Traffic and Collections hours remain unchanged.)

Monday through Wednesday, appointments will continue to be available from 8:30 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (last appointments at 2:30 p.m.). Clerks will continue to be available by telephone between the hours of 8:00 a.m.– 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Thursdays and Fridays, the in-person appointment hours will be changed to 8:30 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. (last appointments at 11:30 a.m.). Clerks will be available by telephone between the hours of 8:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m.

Effective October 3, 2022 – December 31, 2022:

Monday through Friday, the in-person appointment and telephone hours for the Family Law, Probate, Civil, Small Claims, Appeals, Mental Health, Juvenile Clerk’s Offices, and Records & Exhibits Department, will be changed to 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (last appointments at 11:30 a.m.).

Drop boxes will continue to be provided outside of the main Ventura Courthouse (Hall of Justice) and the Juvenile Justice Center for filing papers or submitting payments. Documents placed in the boxes by 4:00 p.m. are deemed deposited for filing that same business day.

eDelivery for submitting and filing papers will continue to be available until 4:00 p.m. Please see the website at http://www.ventura.courts.ca.gov/eDelivery.html for instructions and limitations. Family Law and Restraining Order ex parte papers only, may also be submitted through the email proxies listed on the court website at: http://www.ventura.courts.ca.gov/covid19/2022_0103-FamilyLawExparteProcedure.pdf

The above actions are required to address significant and unprecedented staffing shortages caused by resignations, retirements, and reassignment of employees to develop and implement a new electronic case management system for Civil, Probate, Mental Health, and Appeals. Scheduled to be deployed by the end of 2022, the new system will allow for efiling and electronic document management.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the court in Fiscal Year 2020-21 was subject to the largest budget cuts in history, which resulted in the elimination of positions, lay-offs, and employee furloughs of 18-24 days. The budget has improved but the court, like the private sector, has had difficulty filling multiple vacancies, despite persistent recruitment efforts. With a current 20% reduction in its workforce due to vacancies and leaves of absences, the court has been unable to hire and train enough new employees to maintain regular public hours in all departments.

A reduction in the Clerk’s Office hours will help court staff timely process cases, prepare court calendars and gain significant efficiencies by deploying a new electronic case management system.

If the court is able to hire and train a sufficient number of employees during the above-mentioned time periods, the court will expand office hours.

The public is invited to comment on this proposal by July 5, 2022, either by mail or email. Please direct your response to:

Brenda L. McCormick, Court Executive Officer P.O. Box 6489 Ventura, CA 93006-6489 or reducedclerkhoursresponse@ventura.courts.ca.gov
You can see the full notice here.

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