§ 1161.2.5.Access to Civil Case Records For Actions Seeking Recovery of Covid-19 Rental Debt

Title 3. Of Summary Proceedings · Chapter 4. Summary Proceedings for Obtaining Possession of Real Property in Certain Cases · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 29, 2026

In one sentenceSection 1161.2.5 applies the same sixty-day record-sealing approach as § 1161.2 to civil actions seeking to recover COVID-19 rental debt, requiring pleadings in those cases to be labeled prominently and limiting access to parties, people who already know the case basics, residents, or someone with a court order for good cause.

Full Text of § 1161.2.5

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c)

(a)

(1) Except as provided in Section 1161.2, the clerk shall allow access to civil case records for actions seeking recovery of COVID-19 rental debt, as defined in Section 1179.02, including the court file, index, and register of actions, only as follows:

(A) To a party to the action, including a party's attorney.

(B) To a person who provides the clerk with the names of at least one plaintiff and one defendant.

(C) To a resident of the premises for which the COVID-19 rental debt is owed who provides the clerk with the name of one of the parties or the case number and shows proof of residency.

(D) To a person by order of the court, which may be granted ex parte, on a showing of good cause.

(2) To give the court notice that access to the records in an action is limited, any complaint or responsive pleading in a case subject to this section shall include on either the first page of the pleading or a cover page, the phrase "ACTION FOR RECOVERY OF COVID-19 RENTAL DEBT AS DEFINED UNDER SECTION 1179.02" in bold, capital letters, in 12 point or larger font.

(3) The Judicial Council shall develop forms for parties to utilize in actions brought pursuant to Section 116.223 and in civil actions for recovery of COVID-19 rental debt as defined in Section 1179.02. The forms shall provide prominent notice on the first page that access to the records in the case is limited pursuant to this section.

(b)

(1) For purposes of this section, "good cause" includes, but is not limited to, both of the following:

(A) The gathering of newsworthy facts by a person described in Section 1070 of the Evidence Code.

(B) The gathering of evidence by a party to a civil action solely for the purpose of making a request for judicial notice pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 452 of the Evidence Code.

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that a simple procedure be established to request the ex parte order described in subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

End

Plain-English Summary

Not every COVID-19 rent debt collection case is filed as an eviction — some landlords instead sue directly for the money owed. This section extends the same access limits § 1161.2 sets for unlawful detainer filings to those separate civil actions for COVID-19 rental debt as defined in § 1179.02, again opening the file only to parties, people who already supply a plaintiff and defendant name, residents of the affected premises with proof of residency, or someone with a court order on a showing of good cause.

Subdivision (a)(2) requires every complaint or answer in one of these cases to flag itself prominently — in bold, capital letters, twelve-point or larger font, on the first page or a cover page — with the phrase identifying it as an action for recovery of COVID-19 rental debt. The Judicial Council was also directed to build standard forms that carry the same prominent notice.

As with § 1161.2, subdivision (b) defines "good cause" to include newsworthy fact-gathering by journalists and evidence-gathering for a request for judicial notice, and subdivision (c) confirms this section leaves the Evidence Code untouched.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of case does this section cover?

A civil action seeking to recover COVID-19 rental debt as defined in § 1179.02 — not necessarily an unlawful detainer filing, which § 1161.2 already covers.

How must the complaint identify itself as a COVID-19 rental debt case?

With the phrase "ACTION FOR RECOVERY OF COVID-19 RENTAL DEBT AS DEFINED UNDER SECTION 1179.02" in bold, capital letters of at least twelve-point font, on the first page or a cover page.

Who can access the case file?

The same limited group as § 1161.2 allows — parties, people who already know the basic case details, residents of the affected premises, or someone with a court order for good cause.

Does this section change any evidence rules?

No. Subdivision (c) states this section does not alter any provision of the Evidence Code.

Amendment History

Amended by Stats 2021 ch 27 (AB 832),s 13, eff. 6/28/2021. Amended by Stats 2021 ch 2 (SB 91),s 13, eff. 1/29/2021. Added by Stats 2020 ch 37 (AB 3088),s 19, eff. 8/31/2020.

Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from the California Legislative Information. Enacted by the California Legislature. Last verified July 29, 2026. · Official source

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