Invitations to Comment

The Appellate Advisory Committee and the Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee recommend amending seven California Rules of Court governing the expedited resolution of actions and proceedings brought under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to implement Senate Bill 676 (Stats. 2025, ch. 550), which provides streamlined CEQA review for certain projects to “maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace property or facilities damaged or destroyed by wildfire.” (See Pub. Res. Code, § 21168.6.2(a).) In addition, the committees recommend additional rule changes to remove outdated material related to streamlined CEQA projects, improve consistency with the governing laws, make minor clarifying edits, and facilitate the future updating of these rules.

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The Appellate Advisory Committee proposes approving a new optional form for issuing an order on an application for an extension of time to file a brief in limited civil, misdemeanor, and infraction appeals. This proposal originated from a suggestion by the Committee on Appellate Courts of the California Lawyers Association’s Litigation Section.

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The Appellate Advisory Committee proposes amending California Rules of Court, rule 8.140 to add an advisory committee comment providing examples of acts requiring the superior court to notify a litigant they have failed to timely do an act required to procure the record on appeal in a civil case. This proposal was prompted by a suggestion from the chair of a county bar association’s appellate law section.

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The Appellate Advisory Committee proposes amending California Rules of Court, rule 8.320, to clarify what must be included in the record in criminal felony appeals. This proposal is designed to help reduce the number of appeals in which augmentation or correction of the record is necessary, which would reduce both the work for court clerks and resulting delays. This proposal originated from a recommendation of the former Chief Justice’s Appellate Caseflow Workgroup.

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The Appellate Advisory Committee proposes revising forms APP-001-INFO, APP-003, APP-010, APP-101-INFO, APP-103, and APP-110—and approving forms APP-003A, APP-003B, APP-003C, and APP-003D—to simplify and improve the clarity of the record-designation process. The committee also proposes amending California Rules of Court, rules 8.100, 8.121, 8.122, 8.821, 8.831, and 8.832 to require that clerk’s transcript designations identify documents using names from the trial court register of actions. The committee further proposes revoking California Rules of Court, rules 8.134 and 8.344, and amending rules 8.74, 8.120, 8.122, 8.130, 8.144, 8.149, 8.155, and 8.407 to remove the option for agreed statements. This proposal is designed to make the record-designation process in civil appeals more efficient. This proposal originated from a recommendation of the former Chief Justice’s Appellate Caseflow Workgroup.

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The Appellate Advisory Committee proposes amending five California Rules of Court to require parties represented by counsel to use appendixes in unlimited and limited civil appeals. This proposal is designed to expedite the record-preparation process in civil appeals. This proposal originated from a recommendation of the former Chief Justice’s Appellate Caseflow Workgroup.

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The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee and the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee propose amending two rules of court and approving four Judicial Council forms relating to statements of decision. The proposal implements Assembly Bill 515 (Stats. 2025, ch. 559), which amends Code of Civil Procedure sections 632 and 664. AB 515 makes numerous changes to the procedures regarding statements of decision. The bill also directs the Judicial Council to adopt or amend rules of court consistent with the statutory changes and to prepare forms that may be used to request a statement of decision and that explain the requirements for making that request.

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The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee proposes amending rule 2.111 of the California Rules of Court to require amended or subsequent complaints and cross-complaints to list the names of all parties in the caption. This rule amendment would address situations where new parties are added but are not listed in the caption, which may make it difficult for courts to ensure that all parties are correctly listed in the court’s case management system. The committee proposes this amendment in response to a suggestion from a committee member.

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The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee proposes amending California Rules of Court, rule 3.1380 to clarify that the rule does not require in-person attendance at mandatory settlement conferences. This change would give courts the discretion to determine how parties must appear, including by allowing remote appearances. The committee proposes this amendment in response to a suggestion by a member of the public.

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The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee proposes amending California Rules of Court, rule 3.891, which identifies cases that may be ordered into mediation, to reflect the changes in law made by Assembly Bill 1523 (Stats. 2025, ch. 201) that will take effect on January 1, 2027.

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Those in active-duty military service may ask a court to temporarily relieve them from financial obligations under Military and Veterans Code section 409.3 if their active duty materially affects their ability to pay such obligations. The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee proposes revising forms MIL-010, MIL-015, and MIL-020 to reflect amendments to section 409.3.

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Assembly Bill 747 (Stats. 2025, ch. 563) and Senate Bill 85 (Stats. 2025, ch. 403) make numerous changes to the laws regarding service and proof of service of summons in civil actions. The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee proposes amending 3 rules, adopting 2 mandatory forms, approving 1 optional form, and revising 13 forms to implement AB 747 and SB 85. The committee also proposes changes to these rules and forms to improve clarity and readability.

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Assembly Bills 246 (Stats. 2025, ch. 337), 747 (Stats. 2025, ch. 563) and 863 (Stats. 2025, ch. 344) make changes to laws regarding summons, complaints, and defenses in unlawful detainer proceedings. The Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee proposes revising four forms to implement these changes in law, correct misstatements of law, remove inapplicable items, and improve readability and clarity. The committee also proposes significant plain - language revisions to Unlawful Detainer—Complaint (form UD-100) and the conversion of Unlawful Detainer—Answer (form UD-105) to a plain-language form.

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The Appellate Advisory Committee and the Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee recommend amending seven California Rules of Court governing the expedited resolution of actions and proceedings brought under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to implement Senate Bill 676 (Stats. 2025, ch. 550), which provides streamlined CEQA review for certain projects to “maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace property or facilities damaged or destroyed by wildfire.” (See Pub. Res. Code, § 21168.6.2(a).) In addition, the committees recommend additional rule changes to remove outdated material related to streamlined CEQA projects, improve consistency with the governing laws, make minor clarifying edits, and facilitate the future updating of these rules.

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The California Department of Justice (DOJ) suggests removal of an item on Order for Dismissal (Military Personnel) (form CR-184/MIL-184) that allows a court to order that the DOJ be notified of a sealing order under Penal Code section 1170.9(h)(4)(D). The Criminal Law Advisory Committee proposes revising the form to remove the item, and to make additional technical amendments to improve readability and replace gendered pronouns.

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The Criminal Law Advisory Committee recommends amending two rules of court to (1) reflect recent case law that addresses the trial court’s reliance on aggravating factors to justify the imposition of an upper term sentence and (2) clarify the scope of the trial court’s discretion in the context of imposing an upper term sentence.

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The Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee proposes circulating for comment amendments to rule 5.275 of the California Rules of Court that were previously approved without the benefit of public comment. The committee also proposes additional amendments to rule 5.275 to ensure the continued availability and accuracy of software used to assist courts in determining support, promoting transparency in the certification procedures, and ensuring all certified support calculators perform in a manner consistent with the Family Code and rules of court. In addition to substantive changes, the committee also proposes minor technical and grammatical changes.

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The Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee proposes amending two California Rules of Court in response to legislation. Assembly Bill 1974 (Stats. 2024, ch 303) amended Family Code section 1816 by expanding the advanced training requirements for court-appointed child custody investigators and evaluators. To align the rules with the statute, the committee proposes revising rules 5.215 and 5.230 to reference Family Code section 1816 directly rather than duplicating the statute’s list of required training topics. The proposed changes would ensure that these court professionals are directed to the most current training requirements and eliminate the need to amend the rules whenever the Legislature amends the statutory list. The committee also proposes additional substantive and technical amendments to improve legal accuracy and readability.

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The Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee proposes revising two family law summons forms, effective January 1, 2027, to implement Assembly Bill 1297 (Stats. 2025, ch. 48). For certain family law proceedings, AB 1297 will expand the automatic temporary restraining order related to insurance to prohibit parties from allowing an insurance plan to lapse for nonpayment of premiums or failing to renew insurance. Forms FL-110 and FL-710 would be revised to reflect these changes. In addition, the committee proposes revising some language on these summons forms to plain language and making technical changes. The committee proposes similar plain language and technical revisions on forms FL-210 and SUR-110 for consistency across the summons forms used in family law proceedings.

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Senate Bill 450 (Stats. 2025, ch. 757) amended California adoption law to require adoption orders to include the names of all adoptive parents and any existing parents maintaining parental rights. To implement SB 450, the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee proposes revising Adoption Order (form ADOPT-215), the mandatory Judicial Council form used for all orders for the adoption of a minor child.

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