Court Operations During COVID-19 Outbreak

(updated May 1, 2023 as to Intake Counter Hours)

The Intake Counter at the Clerk's office locations in San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. The Santa Rosa Intake Counter will remain closed. See Eighth Amended General Order 38 for additional information on court closures. 
How to file a document (other than the Intake Counters): Registered ECF Users should continue to file cases and pleading through CM/ECF. For all other parties, including but not limited to pro se parties (individuals without an attorney), the court will accept documents for filing by electronic document upload on the court’s website, mail, or court drop-box. DO NOT EMAIL DOCUMENTS TO THE COURT.
Filing by Electronic Document Upload: If you are not a ECF registered user, you may electronically upload a new case or other documents that you want filed on the docket. This feature is available here. Documents must be in PDF format and include the case name, case number, title of pleading, statement of the relief requested, and signed. If you submit a document that requires a filing fee, you must submit the payment by mail, pay.gov, or drop-box as explained below. 

Filing by Mail: Documents (including but not limited to new cases and any pleadings) and filing fee payments may be sent by U.S. Mail to: 

  • United States Bankruptcy Court, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, Mail Box 36099, San Francisco, CA 94102; or   
     
  • United States Bankruptcy Court, 280 South First Street, San Jose, CA, 95113; or   
     
  • United States Bankruptcy Court, 1300 Clay Street, Suite 300, Oakland, CA, 94612; or   
     
  • United States Bankruptcy Court, 99 S. “E” Street, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404.

Any document to be filed by mail should include the case name, case number, title of pleading, statement of the relief requested, and be signed. If you mail a document that requires a filing fee, the fee must be in a cashier’s check or money order. Do not send cash.

Filing by Drop-Box: Documents (including but not limited to new cases and any pleadings) and filing fee payments may be deposited into a drop-box available in three locations: 

  • San Francisco Courthouse, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco. Access to the drop-box is available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday (excluding federal holidays). Individuals need valid government-issued identification to enter the building. The drop-box is located in the Intake reception area on the 18th floor. A date stamp machine is provided with the drop-box. Documents will be retrieved and processed each work day at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.    
     
  • San Jose Federal Courthouse, 280 South First Street, San Jose, CA. Access to the building and the drop-box is between 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday (excluding federal holidays). Individuals must present valid government issued identification to enter the building. The drop-box is located on the 3rd floor, near the Clerk's Office entrance. A date stamp machine is provided next to the drop-box. Documents will be retrieved and processed each work day at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.   
     
  • Oakland Division, 1300 Clay Street, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA (across the street from the federal building), Access to the drop-box is between 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday (excluding federal holidays). Individuals must present valid government issued identification to the Court Security Officers. A date stamp machine is provided next to the drop-box. Documents will be retrieved and processed each work day at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.   
     

Orders Processing: Counsel and litigants should expect orders to be reviewed and processed promptly, as usual. No chambers copies are required during this period.

Court Hearings: At the discretion of each judge, court hearings can be held in person, by video or teleconference. Please review each judge's procedures and/or calendar page on the court's website for specific information. Other details are available in Eighth Amended General Order 38.

Temporary Suspension of Requirement to Obtain Original Signatures (updated 3/29/2021): Pursuant to this Court's Third Amended General Order 39, the ECF Procedure requiring that a Registered Participant possess the signatory’s original, physical signature before electronically filing a pleading or document is suspended. This suspension is expressly conditioned on:

     (1) the Registered Participant having prior to filing either:

          (a) A digital signature from the signatory obtained by any commercially available digital signature software that provides signature authentication; or

          (b) Obtains express written permission from the signatory to file the document or pleading in question; and

     (2) the Registered Participant maintaining a copy of the digitally signed document or express written permission in their case filed. 

Meetings of Creditors: Since this court issued its Amended General Order 40, the United States Trustee, its panel Chapter 7 trustees, and the acting Chapter 12 and 13 trustees have established procedures to conduct their meeting of creditors by telephone or video. Given this development, the court has issued a Third Amended General Order 40, which now includes a sunset provision for some of the time extensions provided for in Amended General Order 40.

"CARES Act" Loan Forbearance Notices: The recently enacted CARES Act allows borrowers to obtain loan forbearances on certain federally insured loans. To avoid any confusion or disagreement regarding how Chapter 13 debtors, their lenders, and Chapter 13 trustees should treat the forbearances received under the Act, the court has issued General Order 41.

How to contact the court: If you have questions, please call (888) 821-7606 or use the LIVE CHAT feature on the court’s website. 

Future updates: Any future updates will be posted on the Court's website and communicated as appropriate. It is important to note that changes may vary between divisions and these changes may depend on the guidance provided by local public health agencies.