Contra Costa Remote Appearances: Form RA-010 and Zoom Access

Contra Costa Superior Court conducts remote appearances on Zoom, and the Contra Costa remote appearance rules are set by California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75 and Local Rule 2.180.¹² Zoom is the court’s only remote platform, and whether you need to file paperwork before your hearing depends entirely on the type of hearing you have. Some proceedings waive the notice requirement outright. Others require Form RA-010 on a strict deadline.

Which Hearings You Can Attend Remotely

In civil, family, probate, and small claims matters, parties have a statutory right to appear remotely for almost any proceeding, from routine case management through contested evidentiary hearings and trials.¹ California Rules of Court, rule 3.672, implements the statute and requires each court to publish its procedures.³

Criminal cases work differently and sit outside section 367.75. Penal Code section 977 governs them, and it draws harder lines. Misdemeanor defendants who consent can appear remotely for arraignment, plea, and most other proceedings, but not jury or court trials. Felony defendants must be physically present for arraignment, plea, preliminary hearing, any portion of trial where evidence is taken, and sentencing. Other felony proceedings allow remote appearance if the defendant waives physical presence. Contra Costa’s criminal departments do run Zoom hearings for eligible matters on the same department-specific links.⁴

When You Need to File Form RA-010 and When You Don’t

Local Rule 2.180 splits remote appearances into two groups.

No RA-010 Required

You do not need to file Form RA-010 for civil case management conferences, law and motion hearings, civil ex parte applications (except domestic violence restraining orders), or short-cause family law matters. You still owe notice to the other parties under Rule 3.672, but the parties can waive that step orally on the record or in writing.²

RA-010 Required

Evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences, and trials do require Form RA-010.⁵ The deadline turns on how much notice you had of the hearing itself:

Evidentiary hearings and trials set with 15 or more court days’ notice, and all small claims trials: file RA-010 at least 10 court days before the hearing.
Evidentiary hearings set with fewer than 15 court days’ notice, including protective order hearings: the party who requested the hearing files with the moving papers or at least 5 court days before; the responding party files by 2 p.m. the court day before the hearing.
Non-evidentiary proceedings set with 3 or more court days’ notice: at least 2 court days before.

Missing a deadline is not fatal. You can ask the judge for permission to appear remotely anyway, and the court may grant it on a finding of good cause, unforeseen circumstances, or that remote appearance would promote access to justice.⁶

When the Judge Can Make You Appear in Person

Section 367.75 lists specific grounds for requiring physical presence: the court lacks adequate technology, audio or video quality is too poor for the court reporter to produce an accurate transcript, an interpreter cannot do their job effectively over video, or the judge finds that in-person appearance would materially help resolve the matter.¹ If problems appear mid-hearing, the judge can stop and reschedule it in person.³

Opposing the Other Side’s Remote Appearance

If the opposing party notices a remote appearance for an evidentiary hearing or trial and you believe in-person attendance is necessary, file Judicial Council Form RA-015, Opposition to Remote Proceeding at Evidentiary Hearing or Trial.⁷ The form asks for the reasons in-person attendance is needed. If the judge has ordered a hearing conducted remotely and you want to object, Local Rule 2.180 directs you to Rule 3.672(h) for the procedure.²

How to Join on the Day of Your Hearing

Open the court’s Court Calendars and Remote Appearances page. Find your assigned department number, expand that department’s section, and click the Zoom link. You will land in a virtual waiting room until the judge or clerk admits you.⁴ Log in early. Once admitted, you will be muted until the clerk calls your case. Wait for the judge to dismiss you before disconnecting.

Zoom runs on most computers, tablets, and smartphones with a stable internet connection, a working camera, and a microphone. Poor audio is one of the statutory grounds for ending a remote hearing, so test everything before your date.

Phone Dial-In

If the Zoom link fails, the court publishes dial-in numbers:

Primary: 1-669-254-5252
Alternate: 1-669-900-6833
Toll-free (Zoom Government): 1-833-568-8864

You will need the Meeting ID and Password posted under your department. Press *6 to mute or unmute. One important limit: Local Rule 2.180 requires video for contested hearings. Audio-only is not permitted unless the judge specifically allows it.² If you have to dial in by phone for a contested matter, tell the clerk right away so the judge can decide whether to proceed.

Conduct and the Recording Ban

A Zoom hearing is a court proceeding with the same rules as a courtroom. California Rules of Court, rule 1.150, prohibits photographing, recording, or broadcasting court proceedings without the judge’s written permission.⁸ Local Rule 2.180 makes the point explicit for remote settings: no recording, no photographs, and no screenshots. The same sanctions apply as for recording in a physical courtroom.² Sit somewhere quiet and well-lit, with a plain background, and treat the hearing with courtroom formality.

Disability Accommodations

If a disability affects your ability to participate remotely, request accommodations using Judicial Council Form MC-410, Disability Accommodation Request.⁹ File it well in advance so the court can arrange captioning, a sign language interpreter, or alternative document formats. The court issues its order granting or denying the request on the same form.

Fee Waivers

Filing Form RA-010 itself has no fee, but the underlying filings in your case do. If you cannot afford court fees, use Form FW-001 to request a waiver. You automatically qualify if you receive Medi-Cal, CalFresh, SSI, CalWORKs, or county general assistance, and you can qualify on low income alone. A waiver covers fees for the duration of your case, expires 60 days after final disposition, and the court can recover waived fees from any settlement of $10,000 or more.

1
California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure 367.75 – Remote Appearances
2
Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa. Local Rules of Court
3
Judicial Branch of California. Rule 3.672 – Remote Proceedings
4
Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa. Court Calendars and Remote Appearances
5
California Courts | Self Help Guide. Notice of Remote Appearance (RA-010)
6
Judicial Council of California. RA-010 – Notice of Remote Appearance
7
California Courts | Self Help Guide. Opposition to Remote Proceeding at Evidentiary Hearing or Trial
8
Judicial Branch of California. Rule 1.150 – Photographing, Recording, and Broadcasting in Court
9
California Courts | Self Help Guide. Disability Accommodation Request