Press Release: California Courts Suspend Most Evictions During Shelter-in-Place

California Courts suspend most evictions during Shelter-in-Place

Released on April 6, 2020

https://wclp.org/california-courts-suspend-most-evictions-during-shelter-in-place/

Today, the Judicial Council, the head of California Courts, issued new rules for court cases in California during COVID-19. The new rules include protections for tenants that will achieve the priorities expressed by the Governor’s March 27th Executive Order, which state that a public health crisis is not the time to proceed with evictions. The rules suspend tenants’ obligation to quickly file a response to eviction cases, state that no default judgments for eviction will be issued against tenants during shelter-in-place, and suspend all orders to appear in court for eviction cases. Our summary of the rule on evictions and foreclosures can be found here.

This effectively suspends most evictions during the Covid-19 State of Emergency.

These rules issued by the Judicial Council are imperative for maintaining public health; the health of court workers, defendants, tenants, landlords, and the rest of the public rests on a maximum number of people possible staying in their homes, per Governor Newsom’s March 20th stay-at home order. Tenants must maintain housing at this time.

The leadership shown by the Judicial Council recognizes the impact of California law in real life, and ensures that the intention of orders from the Governor play out appropriately for people on the ground.

Click below for a summary of the rule on evictions and foreclosures:

https://wclp.org/summary-california-courts-emergency-rule-on-evictions-and-foreclosures/

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For some additional information I dug up, see below (LC):

According to the Associated Press on April 6, 2020, “The order delays all eviction cases from moving forward, not just those related to people not being able to pay rent due to the virus. It follows an executive order last month by Gov. Gavin Newsom banning the enforcement of eviction orders that advocates said didn’t go far enough.

Sasha Harnden, housing policy advocate at the Western Center on Law and Poverty, said the council’s ruling is an important step.
“This is the type of straightforward, broad protection that we have been wanting to see from our leaders to give people comfort while we address the massive economic impacts of this crisis,” he said.

Under the rule, tenants can still be served eviction notices but will not be on the normal five-day clock to respond, Harnden said Monday. When the courts resume, tenants could still owe back rent, be evicted or face other penalties.

The rule will remain in place for up to 90 days after Newsom lifts the state’s emergency declaration that he issued in early March.”

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

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