Jurisdiction In Limited Civil Cases - Limited Civil Cases - Civil Procedure - CA

Section § 85

This section explains when a lawsuit or legal action can be considered a 'limited civil case' in California courts. For a case to qualify, it must meet three main criteria: the amount of money involved cannot be more than $35,000; the type of remedy or outcome the person wants from the court must be one that is allowed in limited civil cases; and the type of legal action must be covered by specific laws that outline what can be a limited civil case or what falls under the superior court’s jurisdiction. Some specific laws that can apply include cases about mobile home legal issues, bad checks, and certain vehicle code violations, among others.

Notwithstanding any law, including, but not limited to, a law that classified an action or special proceeding as a limited civil case, an action or special proceeding shall be treated as a limited civil case only if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) The amount in controversy does not exceed thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000). As used in this section, “amount in controversy” means the amount of the demand, or the recovery sought, or the value of the property, or the amount of the lien, that is in controversy in the action, exclusive of attorneys’ fees, interest, and costs.

(b) The relief sought is a type that may be granted in a limited civil case.

(c) The relief sought, whether in the complaint, a cross-complaint, or otherwise, is exclusively of a type described in one or more laws that classify an action or special proceeding as a limited civil case or that provide that an action or special proceeding is within the original jurisdiction of the superior court, including, but not limited to, the following provisions:

(1) Section 798.61 or 798.88 of the Civil Code.

(2) Section 1719 of the Civil Code.

(3) Section 3342.5 of the Civil Code.

(4) Section 86.

(5) Section 86.1.

(6) Section 1710.20.

(7) Section 7581 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(8) Section 12647 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(9) Section 27601 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(10) Section 31503 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(11) Section 31621 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(12) Section 52514 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(13) Section 53564 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

(14) Section 53069.4 of the Government Code.

(15) Section 53075.6 of the Government Code.

(16) Section 53075.61 of the Government Code.

(17) Section 5411.5 of the Public Utilities Code.

(18) Section 9872.1 of the Vehicle Code.

(19) Section 10751 of the Vehicle Code.

(20) Section 14607.6 of the Vehicle Code.

(21) Section 40230 of the Vehicle Code.

(22) Section 40256 of the Vehicle Code.

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Section § 86

This law outlines what qualifies as a 'limited civil case' in California. A case is considered limited if the amount in dispute is $35,000 or less. This includes cases about money, property, partnership dissolution, contract disputes, foreclosures, and legal declarations, among others. There are exceptions, such as cases involving taxes or other legalities that don't fit the 'limited' criteria. Specific procedures or defenses, like appeals or fraud claims, can also fall under the limited civil category, as long as the monetary value is within the specified limit.

(a) The following civil cases and proceedings are limited civil cases:

(1) A case at law if the demand, exclusive of interest, or the value of the property in controversy amounts to thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or less. This paragraph does not apply to a case that involves the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, toll, or municipal fine, except an action to enforce payment of delinquent unsecured personal property taxes if the legality of the tax is not contested by the defendant.

(2) An action for dissolution of partnership if the total assets of the partnership do not exceed thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or an action of interpleader if the amount of money or the value of the property involved does not exceed thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000).

(3) An action to cancel or rescind a contract if the relief is sought in connection with an action to recover money not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or property of a value not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000), paid or delivered under, or in consideration of, the contract; an action to revise a contract where the relief is sought in an action upon the contract if the action otherwise is a limited civil case.

(4) A proceeding in forcible entry or forcible or unlawful detainer if the whole amount of damages claimed is thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or less.

(5) An action to enforce and foreclose a lien on personal property if the amount of the lien is thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or less.

(6) An action to enforce and foreclose, or a petition to release, a lien arising under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 8400) of Title 2 of Part 6 of Division 4 of the Civil Code, or to enforce and foreclose an assessment lien on a common interest development as defined in Section 4100 or 6534 of the Civil Code, if the amount of the liens is thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or less. However, if an action to enforce the lien affects property that is also affected by a similar pending action that is not a limited civil case, or if the total amount of liens sought to be foreclosed against the same property aggregates an amount in excess of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000), the action is not a limited civil case.

(7) An action for declaratory relief if brought pursuant to either of the following:

(A) By way of cross-complaint as to a right of indemnity with respect to the relief demanded in the complaint or a cross-complaint in an action or proceeding that is otherwise a limited civil case.

(B) To conduct a trial after a nonbinding fee arbitration between an attorney and client, pursuant to Article 13 (commencing with Section 6200) of Chapter 4 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, if the amount in controversy is thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or less.

(8) An action to issue a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction; to take an account, if necessary to preserve the property or rights of any party to a limited civil case; to make any order or perform any act, pursuant to Title 9 (commencing with Section 680.010) of Part 2 (enforcement of judgments) in a limited civil case; to appoint a receiver pursuant to Section 564 in a limited civil case; or to determine title to personal property seized in a limited civil case.

(9) An action under Article 3 (commencing with Section 708.210) of Chapter 6 of Division 2 of Title 9 of Part 2 for the recovery of an interest in personal property or to enforce the liability of the debtor of a judgment debtor if the interest claimed adversely is of a value not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or the debt denied does not exceed thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000).

(10) An arbitration-related petition filed pursuant to either of the following:

(A) Article 2 (commencing with Section 1292) of Chapter 5 of Title 9 of Part 3, except for uninsured motorist arbitration proceedings in accordance with Section 11580.2 of the Insurance Code, if the petition is filed before the arbitration award becomes final and the matter to be resolved by arbitration is a limited civil case under paragraphs (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a) or if the petition is filed after the arbitration award becomes final and the amount of the award and all other rulings, pronouncements, and decisions made in the award are within paragraphs (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a).

(B) To confirm, correct, or vacate a fee arbitration award between an attorney and client that is binding or has become binding, pursuant to Article 13 (commencing with Section 6200) of Chapter 4 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, if the arbitration award is thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or less.

(b) The following cases in equity are limited civil cases:

(1) A case to try title to personal property when the amount involved is not more than thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000).

(2) A case when equity is pleaded as a defensive matter in any case that is otherwise a limited civil case.

(3) A case to vacate a judgment or order of the court obtained in a limited civil case through extrinsic fraud, mistake, inadvertence, or excusable neglect.

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Section § 86.1

This law states that if you bring a lawsuit related to the Long-Term Care, Health, Safety, and Security Act of 1973 and the penalties you're asking for are $35,000 or less, it will be treated as a limited civil case, meaning it follows certain simplified court procedures.

An action brought pursuant to the Long-Term Care, Health, Safety, and Security Act of 1973 (Chapter 2.4 (commencing with Section 1417) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code) is a limited civil case if civil penalties are not sought or amount to thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) or less.

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Section § 87

This section explains that certain civil cases that meet specific criteria can be heard in the small claims division. If there's ever a conflict between the rules for small claims and those for limited civil cases, the rules for small claims take priority. Additionally, this section does not change the existing power or authority of the small claims division.

(a) A limited civil case may be brought in the small claims division if the case is within the jurisdiction of the small claims division as otherwise provided by statute. Where a statute or rule applicable to a small claims case conflicts with a statute or rule applicable to a limited civil case, the statute or rule applicable to a small claims case governs the small claims case and the statute or rule applicable to a limited civil case does not.

(b) Nothing in this section affects the jurisdiction of the small claims division as otherwise provided by statute.

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Section § 88

This law states that any civil case, except for those described as 'limited civil cases', can be called an 'unlimited civil case'.

A civil action or proceeding other than a limited civil case may be referred to as an unlimited civil case.

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Section § 89

This section basically says that just because a law gives certain powers to a court in either limited or unlimited civil cases doesn't automatically mean those powers apply to the other type of case. Each type of case may have its own set of rules and authorities.

(a) The existence of a statute relating to the authority of the court in a limited civil case does not, by itself, imply that the same authority does or does not exist in an unlimited civil case.

(b) The existence of a statute relating to the authority of the court in an unlimited civil case does not, by itself, imply that the same authority does or does not exist in a limited civil case.

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