Pursuant to Government Code §68106, the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura, is providing sixty (60) days notice of limited operation days.

The majority of the courtrooms and all of the clerk’s offices will be closed to mitigate the impact of employee furlough days on court operations on the following days:

September 30, 2020,
October 21, 2020,
November 18 & 25, 2020,
December 16, 23, 24, 30 & 31, 2020,
January 15, 2021,
February 11, 2021,
March 10 & 17, 2021,
April 21, 2021,
May 5 & 19, 2021
June 9 & 23, 2021

These days are not court holidays, so statutory deadlines will not be extended. Documents may be submitted through the United States mail or drop boxes located at the entrance to the Hall of Justice and Juvenile courthouses. In civil, family, probate, appeals and/or small claims, documents may also be submitted by eDelivery. The clerk’s offices will be closed to in-person services. Documents received by 4 p.m. and accepted for filing, will be filed that same business day. Documents received after 4 p.m. will be processed and filed the following business day. Documents placed in the drop boxes by 4:00 p.m. are deemed deposited for filing that same business day. An exterior walk-up window on the north side of the Hall of Justice at the Government Center near parking lots A, B and C will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the East County Courthouse walk-up window will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for handling criminal/traffic and collections payments only.

Most cases already calendared for hearing will be rescheduled and the affected parties notified by the court. Limited courtrooms will be open to hear urgent criminal, juvenile, unlawful detainer, and temporary restraining order issues.

While the court regrets having to take the above actions, it is required to address the reduction in funding to the California court system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2020-2021  fiscal year, the Governor and Legislature have approved a reduction of $200 million, in budget cuts to the judicial branch. For fiscal year 2020-2021, the Ventura Superior Court budget has a structural deficit of $5.7 million.

The court has instituted various cost saving measures, including furloughs, eliminating or freezing vacant positions, reengineering court processes for efficiencies and reducing expenditures of services and supplies. Limited court closures are needed to manage the large number of furlough days. The above dates were selected to minimize the impact on the public and court staff by spreading out the dates through the fiscal year and court business is generally slower in the middle of the business week and around holidays.

Anyone wishing to comment on this proposed plan may do so, by either regular mail or e-mail, by September 28, 2020. Please direct your response to:

Michael D. Planet, Court Executive Officer
P.O. Box 6489
Ventura, CA 93006-6489
or
closureresponse@ventura.courts.ca.gov

View the full notice here.

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