Civil Division

Civil cases usually involve disputes about contracts, damage to property, landlord/tenant issues, or damage or loss incurred due to actions or negligence by another party. No crime has been committed, but some wrongdoing has occurred. 

General civil cases are divided into types depending on how much money is owed:

• If the amount of the dispute is $25,000.00 or less, it is a limited civil case type. 
• If the amount of the dispute is over $25,000.00 or does not involve money such as actions to resolve title to real property or petitions for change of name, the matter is an unlimited civil case.
• You can also file in Small Claims Court for $10,000.00 or less. If you are owed more than $10,000.00, you can waive the difference and file in Small Claims Court. Small Claims Court is a cheaper, more informal process than a typical civil case, although there are specific rules to follow. 

Remote Appearances

Civil matters will be heard as scheduled by remote video teleconference via Zoom unless otherwise ordered by the Court. Attorneys, and/or parties without counsel, are instructed to contact the Clerk’s Office to obtain the information necessary to make remote appearances.

See  the Remote  Appearances page for more information and forms. 

Payment

In most cases, you will be required to pay a fee to file papers with the court. Fees are set by the Statewide Civil Fee Schedule.

If you cannot afford the fees associated with filing, see "Fee Waivers" below. 

If you know your case number and fee amount, you may pay online.

Go to Online Payments for more information on paying online, by phone, or by mail. 

ADR, or Alternative Dispute Resolution, is a way to resolve a civil lawsuit that is usually less formal, less expensive, and less time-consuming than a trial. 

You may find more information on the Judicial Council's website. Please see the Related Links to the right. 

Alpine County Superior Court shares the services of the El Dorado County Superior Court, South Lake Tahoe Branch for ADR Mediation upon referral. 

If parties in your case voluntarily agree to participate in the ADR process, contact the Alpine County Superior Court Clerk's Office to have your information forwarded to the appropriate El Dorado County Court Clerk.