Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 630.20
630.20
Effective Jan 1, 2016Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 330, Sec. 5. (AB 555) Effective January 1, 2016. Section operative July 1, 2016, pursuant to Section 630.29.
- (a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), an action or special proceeding treated as a limited civil case pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 85) of Chapter 5.1 of Title 1 of Part 1, including an action or special proceeding initially filed as a limited civil case or remanded as one thereafter, shall be conducted as a mandatory expedited jury trial pursuant to this chapter.
(b) Either party may opt out of the mandatory expedited jury trial procedures if any of the following criteria is met:
- (1) Punitive damages are sought.
- (2) Damages in excess of insurance policy limits are sought.
- (3) A party’s insurer is providing a legal defense subject to a reservation of rights.
- (4) The case involves a claim reportable to a governmental entity.
- (5) The case involves a claim of moral turpitude that may affect an individual’s professional licensing.
- (6) The case involves claims of intentional conduct.
- (7) The case has been reclassified as unlimited pursuant to Section 403.020.
- (8) The complaint contains a demand for attorney’s fees, unless those fees are sought pursuant to Section 1717 of the Civil Code.
- (9) The judge finds good cause exists for the action not to proceed under the rules of this chapter. Good cause includes, but is not limited to, a showing that a party needs more than five hours to present or defend the action and that the parties have been unable to stipulate to additional time.
- (c) This chapter does not apply to a proceeding in forcible entry or forcible or unlawful detainer.
- (d) A judgment in a limited civil case conducted as a mandatory expedited jury trial may be appealed to the appellate division of the superior court in which the case was tried.