Bakersfield Small Claims Court
Superior Court of California, County of Kern (Metropolitan Division, Justice Building), Kern County.
Superior Court of California, County of Kern (Metropolitan Division, Justice Building), Kern County.
Bakersfield ZIPs fall under the Metropolitan Division in the court's venue list, but Kern County has outlying branches and venue rules are strict. The list goes by community as well as ZIP: within 93307, Bakersfield is Metropolitan while Greenfield and Alameda go to Lamont.
| Limit | $12,500 |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Kern (Metropolitan Division, Justice Building) |
| Address | Metro Justice Building, 1215 Truxtun Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301 |
| Phone | (661) 610-6000 |
| Hours | Civil units Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon. For new filings, arrive at least 30 minutes before closing. |
| File online | File @ Home or another electronic filing service provider, starting from the court's site: https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/system/files/file_at_home_instructions.pdf |
| Fees | $30 for claims up to $1,500, $50 for over $1,500 up to $5,000, $75 for over $5,000 up to $12,500, and $100 if you have filed more than 12 small claims in the past 12 months. Fee waivers are available. |
| Timing | The state court self-help site says a trial date is typically about 1 to 2 months after filing. This court's own pages don't give a figure. |
| Serving papers | An adult who isn't in the case can serve the papers, or use the Kern County Sheriff's Civil Division at 5251 Office Park Dr, Bldg 300, Bakersfield, (661) 635-1300, or a process server. By state rules, serve at least 15 days before the court date (20 if the defendant is outside the county), add 10 days for substituted service, and file proof at least 5 days before. Costs aren't stated on the court's page. |
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General information to help you get organized, last checked November 1, 2026. It isn't legal advice, and SueYou isn't a law firm. Laws change and every case is different, so confirm anything important with a lawyer or the court. No lawyer has reviewed this page yet.