El Cerrito is a small West Contra Costa city between Albany and Richmond, and in Contra Costa the region a city sits in decides a lot about where its cases go. Some El Cerrito matters stay close, at the courthouse in Richmond. Others go to Martinez, about 11 miles east. The split changed in January 2026, and part of the court's own website hasn't caught up, so it's worth getting straight before you file or serve.
We serve summonses, complaints, subpoenas, family law papers, eviction papers and every other kind of legal document on people and businesses in El Cerrito, and we can file at either courthouse.
El Cerrito cases: Richmond or Martinez
The Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa, routes cases by type, and for small claims and evictions by where the dispute started. For El Cerrito it works out like this:
- Small claims and unlawful detainer: filed and heard at the George D. Carroll Courthouse, 100 37th Street, Richmond. The court's Where to File ZIP Code table lists El Cerrito (94530) under that courthouse. From El Cerrito's Census center point it's about 2 miles in a straight line.
- Limited civil (up to $35,000): filed at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez, or e-filed, and heard in Department 14 at the Richmond courthouse.
- Unlimited civil: filed and heard at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, 725 Court Street, Martinez, about 11 miles east.
- Family law, including adoptions: the Spinetta Family Law Center, 751 Pine Street, Martinez.
- Probate, guardianship and conservatorship: filed and heard at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse.
- Juvenile: only at the Walnut Creek courthouse.
The Richmond courthouse page lists the communities it serves: Crockett, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, North Richmond, Pinole, Point Richmond, Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, Rollingwood, San Pablo and Tilden Park North.
Limited civil: filed in Martinez, heard in Richmond
The court's Where to File page still says all civil cases are filed and heard in Martinez. That's out of date for limited civil. The limited civil page now carries a notice that, effective January 5, 2026, every limited civil case was reassigned from Department 34 to Department 14 in Richmond, and the court's list of general civil departments places Department 14 at the George D. Carroll Courthouse.
Filing is a separate question from hearing. Civil cases are still filed with the civil clerk in Martinez, or e-filed. The Richmond courthouse will take limited civil forms over the counter only when the next hearing or filing deadline is at least 3 court days away. With less time than that, the forms must be filed in Martinez at 725 Court Street, Room 103. For an El Cerrito defendant, that means the summons may say Martinez while the hearings happen 2 miles away in Richmond. Read the notice of hearing for the department before planning around it.
Attorneys rarely file on paper in this county anyway. Local rule 2.87 and the court's e-filing standing order require represented parties to e-file in limited, unlimited and complex civil cases, family law, probate, small claims, evictions and appeals. Self-represented parties may e-file but don't have to.
Filing in Martinez for an El Cerrito case
When the filing has to go to Martinez, it goes to the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, which houses the court's main administrative offices and its general civil and criminal processing units. Paper civil filings go to Room 103. The clerk windows open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m., and court phones are answered from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The drop box is the more forgiving option. The courthouse page says any document put in the court drop box between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. is deemed filed that same day. For a deadline that falls late in the afternoon, that extra hour can matter. The law library in the same city is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on weekdays.
The Richmond courthouse
The George D. Carroll Courthouse fronts 37th Street, but the court says the entrance is around the corner off Bissell Avenue. There's one entrance, it's accessible, and everyone goes through security. The building is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in-person service runs 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and phones are answered 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays.
Clerks there take small claims, criminal, traffic and landlord-tenant filings, accept filing fees and fines, and sell court forms. They also take a limited number of domestic violence restraining order filings on Monday and Friday mornings at 8:00 a.m.
Evictions in El Cerrito
An El Cerrito unlawful detainer is filed and heard in Richmond. Represented landlords e-file under local rule 2.87. The court's landlord and tenant page reminds landlords that only the Sheriff can carry out an eviction, so a landlord who wins still needs the Sheriff to enforce the judgment.
That page also sets the rules for remote hearings in landlord-tenant cases. A remote appearance must comply with CCP § 367.75 and be requested on form RA-010; opposing one takes form RA-015. Documents for any remote hearing have to reach the clerk in person, by drop box or by overnight delivery at least 3 court days before the hearing. Email doesn't count.
Self-represented landlords and tenants can get help from the court's civil self-help staff. The landlord and tenant page lists a temporary civil self-help phone line, 925-608-2178, and an email address while the regular line has technical problems.
The answer deadline depends on how the summons was served. The California Courts self-help guide gives a tenant 10 court days after personal delivery, counting no weekends or court holidays. After substituted service or posting, the tenant has 10 calendar days from the date the papers were mailed, followed by 10 court days. The court's own landlord and tenant page still describes a 5-day response, so use the state guide for current timing. Note the method and mailing date on the proof so the default date can be worked out.
Papers to serve in El Cerrito?
Small claims from El Cerrito
Small claims cases in Contra Costa are heard in Martinez, Pittsburg and Richmond, and El Cerrito's go to Richmond. The court's small claims page sets the limits at $12,500 for an individual or sole proprietor and $6,250 for a corporation, LLC or partnership. No one may file more than two claims over $2,500 in a calendar year, and anyone filing more than 12 cases in 12 months pays $100 per case.
Help is available by email from the court's Self-Help and Small Claims Advisor, which says it replies within 2 weeks. The same page notes that the Contra Costa County Bar Association schedules half-hour attorney consultations for a $45 administrative fee. Remote small claims hearings follow the same RA-010 and 3-court-day paper rules as evictions.
The person who files the claim can't serve it. Tell us the hearing date with the request so the attempts leave room before it.
Family law for El Cerrito households
Divorce, custody, support, parentage and adoption cases are filed at the Spinetta Family Law Center in Martinez. Its filing counter is just inside the building on the left and open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The court encourages filing by drop box or mail, and the drop box is in front of the building on weekdays. The Family Law Facilitator isn't offering in-person help at the courthouse right now.
Domestic violence restraining orders have an option closer to home. The court's Where to File page says a West County resident, El Cerrito included, who has no existing case, no children and no marriage with the other person may submit the papers at the restraining order window in Richmond. Everyone else files them in Martinez, in person or by e-filing.
The petitioner can't serve the respondent. Another adult does it, and the family law proof of service of summons is usually form FL-115.
Probate and court records in Martinez
Probate, guardianship and conservatorship papers are filed and heard at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse. We serve probate notices and citations on heirs at El Cerrito addresses and can deliver the filing in Martinez.
Old files are there too. The court's non-criminal records unit moved into Room 103 of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse on January 12, 2026, and is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Copies are 50 cents a page in person or by mail, certifications are $40 plus 50 cents a page, and a certified divorce judgment is $15. The court is scanning its paper case files, which may slow some requests. Our document retrieval service can pull copies for you.
Subpoenas for El Cerrito witnesses
To serve a deposition, records or trial subpoena in El Cerrito, send the subpoena and all attachments, the witness's name and address, and the date it has to be served by. Records subpoenas to a business are directed to its custodian of records. Witness fees and notice periods depend on the kind of subpoena, and our post on how to serve a subpoena in California walks through them.
El Cerrito's ZIP Code
El Cerrito has one Census ZIP Code area, 94530. The Census Bureau's 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file puts about 85% of its land inside El Cerrito and about 15% in Richmond. The court's ZIP Code table lists 94530 under both El Cerrito and Richmond, and both point to the George D. Carroll Courthouse, so the small claims and eviction filing location doesn't change. For service, check whether a 94530 address is actually in Richmond city limits only if the case depends on it, such as a claim under a city ordinance.
Serving El Cerrito businesses
For a sole proprietor, the owner can be served at the business. For a corporation or LLC, look up the agent for service of process on bizfile Online and send us that name and address. Many companies name a commercial agent outside the county. Our pages on CSC Lawyers Incorporating Service and CT Corporation cover the two most common, and serving corporations covers the rest. If a business or person has moved, skip tracing can look for a current address.
Sending an El Cerrito Service Request
Upload up to 5 PDFs on the Service Request, name the person or business exactly as the papers do, and list every El Cerrito address with unit numbers. Choose Rush or Standard, and add a filing in Richmond or Martinez if you need one. Get every update by email.
The signed proof of service comes back to you when service is complete. Our proof of service guide explains it, and the 2027 service of process guide covers the January 1, 2027 change to how diligence is shown before substituted service. Questions go to 855-582-5776 or Service@ValproAttorneyServices.com. We make no guarantees for service.
Next to El Cerrito
Albany is about 2.2 miles south, across the county line in Alameda County. San Pablo, Berkeley and El Sobrante are each about 3.7 miles away, and Richmond 3.9. See Contra Costa County process servers and Contra Costa County court filings for the rest of the county.