Court Filing Services Across California
Our court runners file your documents in person at superior, appellate, federal, and bankruptcy courts throughout California. Choose a courthouse below to see the rate, the court's hours, and our same-day deadline.
Direct Legal at the Beverly Hills Courthouse
- All 58 California counties
- Same-day & On Demand filing
- Online ordering & tracking
- 65+ years in California
Since 1961, Direct Legal Support has filed legal documents for law firms, legal departments, government agencies, and people representing themselves. Offices in Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Santa Ana, San Diego, Palm Springs, Bakersfield, San Jose, and Fremont put our runners close to the courts. When a filing hits a problem at the window, our runner works to resolve it while at court.
Court Filing Service Levels
Your rate depends on the courthouse and how fast you need the filing. Orders must reach us by the court's deadline shown in the lookup above.
Priority
Our runner files your documents at the court by the next business day when we receive your order by the deadline.
Urgent Same-Day
Filed the same day when your order reaches us by the court's deadline.
On Demand
A runner is dispatched right away and files within about 2 hours, or as soon as possible, when the order arrives by the deadline during business hours. After the deadline, timing depends on availability.
What Your Rate Includes
Rates are for filing at the courthouse you select and depend on the service level. Court filing fees are not included. Orders must be received by the deadline shown for each court; later orders are handled the next business day unless you choose On Demand, which depends on availability after the deadline.
- Court filing fees. Statutory filing fees and any other court charges are paid in addition to our rate. See the California civil filing fee schedule.
- Large documents. Documents over 50 pages are $0.50 per additional page.
- Judge's courtesy copies. When we file your documents in person, we can deliver the courtesy copy to the judge's department the same day. Law firms and legal departments pay the discounted Courtesy Copy Delivery with Physical Filing rate shown in the lookup above, and parties without an attorney pay our regular courtesy copy rate. For documents you e-file yourself, see our courtesy copy rates.
- Rate changes. Prices may change without notice. Delivery times are based on orders received by the deadline.
How Court Filing Works
Create your account
Register at DirectLegal.com in a few minutes. There are no setup fees or monthly minimums.
Place your order
Upload your documents, choose the courthouse, and pick Priority, Urgent, or On Demand.
We file at the court
Our runner files your documents in person. If the clerk raises an issue, the runner tries to resolve it while at court.
Track it online
Follow your order online until the filing is complete.
Start an Order or call (800) 675-5376
Order Deadlines and Court Hours
Our deadline for each court depends on when the court closes and how large the filing is. Downtown Los Angeles courthouses, including Stanley Mosk, Spring Street, and the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, have a 2:00 PM deadline. Most other courts fall between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM, and some courts with shorter Friday hours have earlier Friday deadlines. Large filings can need more time, so call us if you are close to the deadline.
The court lookup at the top of this page shows each courthouse's address, its public hours, and our deadline for same-day filing.
Physical Filing and E-Filing
Many California courts now require attorneys to e-file. Los Angeles Superior Court, for example, requires e-filing for represented parties in civil cases. Physical filing is still needed where e-filing isn’t required, for parties who choose to file in person, and for documents a court won’t accept electronically.
We handle both: California e-filing when you want to file electronically, and in-person filing when physical filing is required or preferred. Either way, we can deliver the judge's courtesy copy.
Courts We File In
- Superior Courts in all 58 California counties, including branch courthouses and family law and juvenile courts.
- The California Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court of California.
- U.S. District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Courts throughout California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena and San Francisco.
Choose any courthouse in the lookup above to see its rate and our deadline.
Why Law Firms Choose Direct Legal for Court Filing
Every California courthouse
Superior, appellate, federal, and bankruptcy courts in all 58 counties.
Same-day & On Demand
Urgent same-day filing by each court's deadline, and runners sent right away when you need them.
Offices near the courts
Offices in Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Santa Ana, San Diego, Palm Springs, Bakersfield, San Jose, and Fremont put our runners close to the courts.
Problems solved at the window
When a clerk raises an issue, our runner works to fix it on the spot.
Online ordering & tracking
Upload documents, place orders, and follow each filing from your account.
Since 1961
California's oldest family-owned process serving company, with full litigation support.
Court Filing Questions
How much does court filing cost in California?
Court filing starts at $95 for law firms and legal departments and $150 for parties without an attorney, for next-day Priority filing at courthouses such as the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. Rates depend on the courthouse and the service level, so use the court lookup on this page to see the rate for any California court. Court filing fees are not included.
What is your deadline for same-day filing?
Each courthouse has its own deadline, based on when the court closes and how large the filing is. Downtown Los Angeles courthouses have a 2:00 PM deadline for same-day Urgent filing, and most other courts fall between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Some courts have earlier deadlines on Fridays. The court lookup shows the deadline for each courthouse.
Which courts do you file in?
We file in the superior courts of all 58 California counties, the California Courts of Appeal, the Supreme Court of California, the U.S. District Courts and Bankruptcy Courts in California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena and San Francisco.
Are court filing fees included in your rate?
No. Statutory filing fees and any other court charges are paid in addition to our rate.
Do I need physical filing if my court requires e-filing?
Often not for the documents themselves, but physical filing is still needed where e-filing isn't required, for parties who choose to file in person, and for documents a court won't accept electronically. We also handle California e-filing and courtesy copy delivery, so one company can cover every filing in your case.
What happens if the clerk has a problem with my filing?
Our runner tries to resolve the issue while at court. If it can't be fixed at the window, we let you know so you can decide how to proceed.
Can you deliver the courtesy copy when you file for me?
Yes. Add courtesy copy delivery to your court filing order and we deliver the judge's copy the same day we file. Law firms and legal departments pay a discounted rate of $75 to $105, depending on the courthouse. Parties without an attorney pay our regular courtesy copy rate.
What does On Demand filing mean?
On Demand sends a runner right away. When your order arrives by the deadline during business hours, the filing is made within about 2 hours or as soon as possible. After the deadline, timing depends on availability.
Need Documents Filed?
Create a free account and submit your order in a few minutes. There are no setup fees. If you have a question first, call us or send a message.
Existing client? Log in to your portal