Mendocino County Small Claims Court

Court Information

Court name

Mendocino County Superior Court -- Small Claims Division (Ukiah Courthouse)

Address

100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482

Phone

(707) 468-2002

Hours

Mon-Fri 8:30am-3:30pm

Official website

https://www.mendocino.courts.ca.gov/divisions/small-claims

Typical hearing wait

6 weeks

Other Courthouses in This County

This county hears small claims cases at more than one courthouse. Confirm the correct location on your Notice of Hearing before you file or appear.

Court name

Mendocino County Superior Court -- Ten Mile Branch (Fort Bragg)

Address

700 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437

Phone

(707) 964-3192

Covers

Second small-claims clerk's office location, serving the Fort Bragg / coastal area of the county.

Filing Fees

Max claim: $12,500 · Required forms: SC-100, SC-104

Claim amount	Filing fee
$1 – $1,500	$30
$1,501 – $5,000	$50
$5,001 – $12,500	$75

Fee waiver available if you qualify (form FW-001).

How to File

File your small claims case (Judicial Council Form SC-100, plus SC-104 if there are multiple parties) at the Mendocino County Superior Court -- Small Claims Division, either at the Ukiah Courthouse (100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482) or the Ten Mile Branch in Fort Bragg (700 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437). Bring the completed claim form and the filing fee, which ranges from $30 to $75 depending on the amount claimed ($100 if you have filed more than 12 claims in the past year); if you cannot afford the fee, ask for a fee waiver (Form FW-001). A Small Claims Forms Packet is available from the court's Self-Help Center or the Judicial Council website.

Serving the Defendant

As the plaintiff, you are responsible for having the defendant personally served, or served by substituted service or certified mail, with the Plaintiff's Claim and Order to Go to Small Claims Court. Service must be completed at least 15 days before the hearing (20 days if the defendant is served outside California), per Code of Civil Procedure Section 116.340.

Allowed methods: Personal service, Substituted service, Certified mail
Deadline: Serve at least 15 days before the hearing date.

Hearing Tips

Night Court for small claims is held at 5:30pm on the first Wednesday of each month in Ukiah, for those who cannot attend during regular daytime hours; use the Perkins Street entrance after 4:30pm and arrive 5-10 minutes early.
You may request a court interpreter (Spanish, sign language, or other languages) by filing local Form MMC-110 or emailing the interpreter coordinator; at least 10 days' advance notice is recommended.
Remote appearances by phone or video (Zoom) are available for small claims hearings; a land line is preferred if appearing by phone. You must file the Judicial Council's Notice of Remote Appearance (RA-010) and Order Regarding Remote Appearance (RA-020) with the court in advance.
If you plan to submit exhibits, e-file them at least 2 business days before the hearing; if you are not e-filing, file them with the clerk's office the day before the hearing.
Either party may request one postponement of the hearing (Forms SC-110/SC-111, $10 filing fee) at least 10 days before the hearing date, once the defendant has been served.

✓ Interpreters available ✓ Phone appearance allowed

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