Courtesy Copy Delivery for California Courts

What Is a Courtesy Copy?

A courtesy copy is a printed copy of a document that was filed with the court, delivered to the judge's department so the judge can review it on paper. There is no statewide rule, but some California courts require courtesy copies of e-filed motions, oppositions, and replies by local rule, often by a set time after filing, and many judges ask for them in their own courtroom rules.

Courtesy Copy Delivery Options

Choose the option that fits your deadline. Orders must reach us by the court's deadline shown in the lookup above.

What Your Rate Includes

Courtesy copy rates match our court filing rates and depend on the courthouse and service level. Orders must be received by the deadline shown for each court.

• Printing and assembly. We print, tab, and bind your courtesy copies as requested.
• Large documents. Documents over 50 pages are $0.50 per additional page.
• Delivery confirmation. You receive confirmation of the delivery date and time.
• Department instructions. Courts and judges set their own courtesy copy rules. Tell us about any department instructions and we follow them.
• Filing with us too? When we file your documents in person, law firms and legal departments get a discounted courtesy copy rate. See the court filing lookup.
• Rate changes. Prices may change without notice. Delivery times are based on orders received by the deadline.

How Courtesy Copy Delivery Works

1. Create your account

   Register at DirectLegal.com in a few minutes. There are no setup fees or monthly minimums.

2. Upload your documents

   Upload the documents you filed and tell us which department gets the copy.

3. We print and deliver

   We print, assemble, tab, and bind the copies as requested and deliver them to the department.

4. Delivery confirmed

   You receive confirmation of the delivery date and time.

Start an Order → or call (800) 675-5376

When Courtesy Copies Are Required

Each court sets its own rules on when courtesy copies must be submitted, and many judges add their own requirements in standing orders or on their courtroom information pages. Courtesy copies are commonly required for motions, demurrers, oppositions and replies, proposed orders and judgments, and long documents with exhibits. The rules change: Los Angeles rescinded its general courtesy copy order in March 2026 and now leaves it to each courtroom, while San Francisco and Alameda still require courtesy copies of motion papers by local rule. Our article on courtesy copies after e-filing covers the larger courts.

Courtesy copies usually go directly to the department where the case is being heard. Some courts route them elsewhere (Santa Clara civil courtesy copies go to Court Services, with the department number on the front page), set a delivery deadline, or ask that copies be left in a drop box, so check the department's instructions and include them with your order.

Commonly Delivered Courtesy Copies

• Motions and motions to compel
• Demurrers
• Oppositions and replies
• Ex parte applications and orders
• Proposed orders and judgments
• Requests for dismissal
• Notices of settlement
• Exhibits and appendices of evidence

Courts We Deliver To

• 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.

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.

Related Court Services

• Court filingIn-person filing at superior, appellate, federal, and bankruptcy courts throughout California.
• California e-filingStatewide electronic filing for civil, family law, probate, and more.
• Court document retrievalCopies of filed documents and case files from any California courthouse.
• Process servingRegistered, bonded service of process throughout California and nationwide.

Courtesy Copy Questions