If you file a small claims case in Los Angeles County, serving the defendant with the SC-100, Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court is not the whole job. The Los Angeles Superior Court has its own orders requiring plaintiffs to serve several local notices along with the claim — and to list them on the proof of service.
These requirements are easy to miss because they do not appear on the statewide SC-100. A plaintiff who serves only the claim can arrive at the hearing and find the paperwork incomplete. This guide covers what LA requires as of 2026, what each document says, and how to show the court you served everything.
Checked Against the Court's Own Documents
We reviewed the current versions on the Los Angeles Superior Court's website for this article: form LASC SMCL 016 (Rev. 01/26), the Third Amended Standing Order 2026-SJ-003-00 (filed April 14, 2026), and the General Order on interpreter request notices. Courts update these documents. Always download the current versions from lacourt.org when you file.
The Short List: What to Serve With Your SC-100 in LA
Along with the filed SC-100, plan to serve each defendant with:
- Notice of Remote Appearances and Exchange and Submission of Evidence Protocol — form LASC SMCL 016.
- Third Amended Standing Order Re: Evidence Exchange — Standing Order 2026-SJ-003-00, including its attached forms SCLAC SMCL 278 (Exchange and Submission of Evidence) and SCLAC SMCL 279 (mailing label).
- Notice of Availability of Small Claims Web Portal for Interpreter Requests.
- Any other information sheets the clerk gives you at filing.
Both the SMCL 016 notice and the standing order say the same thing in their closing paragraphs: the plaintiff is ordered to serve them with the SC-100 "along with all other information sheets as required." If the clerk's office hands you a packet when you file, serve all of it.
1. Notice of Remote Appearances and Evidence Protocol (LASC SMCL 016)
This one-page notice is marked "For Mandatory Use." It tells both sides two things.
Remote Appearances Through LACourtConnect
The court "strongly encourages" remote appearances in small claims cases, by audio or video, through LACourtConnect at no cost. Parties register for a remote appearance on the court's website. In-person appearance is still allowed; the notice simply makes sure the defendant knows remote is an option.
How Evidence Must Be Exchanged
Whether a party appears remotely or in person, the notice requires them to do one of the following:
- Upload evidence to the court's Digital Evidence System (DES) at least 10 days before the hearing and share it with the other party; or
- Send a copy of the evidence to the other party by any method that ensures it is received at least 10 days before the hearing, and be able to show proof of sending if the court asks.
The notice warns that failing to exchange and submit evidence on time may result in the court not considering it.
2. Third Amended Standing Order Re: Evidence Exchange (2026-SJ-003-00)
This is the court order behind the notice. It was signed by the Supervising Judge of the Civil Division on March 18, 2026 and filed April 14, 2026. It rests on Code of Civil Procedure section 116.520, which gives small claims parties the right to present evidence and witnesses at the hearing.
The order sets out the same two options, with more detail.
Option 1: The Digital Evidence System
Upload evidence to the DES at least 10 days before the hearing and share it with the other side. The order points out a practical requirement: you need the other party's email address to share evidence through the DES. Digital evidence is purged from the portal 60 days after the hearing has concluded and a ruling has been made.
Option 2: Physical Evidence by Mail or Delivery
Send a physical copy of the evidence to both the court and the other party, by a method that ensures receipt at least 10 days before the hearing. When you do this, the order requires you to:
- Complete form SCLAC SMCL 278, Exchange and Submission of Evidence (Small Claims), and place it inside the envelope with the evidence. (The SMCL 016 notice refers to this same form as "LASC CIV 278.")
- Attach a mailing label to the outside of the envelope using form SCLAC SMCL 279. The label must show the case number, hearing date, name of the party submitting the evidence, and the courtroom or department number.
- Include a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope if you want your evidence back. Otherwise physical evidence is destroyed after the ruling.
Both forms are attached to the standing order and available on the court's website. Serving the order with its attachments gives the defendant everything they need to submit their own evidence.
The 10-day evidence deadline is separate from the deadline to serve the defendant. Missing it does not stop the hearing — but it can mean the judge does not look at your evidence.
3. Notice of Availability of Small Claims Web Portal for Interpreter Requests
This requirement comes from a General Order of the Los Angeles Superior Court, effective April 13, 2016, which is still posted on the court's small claims page. It orders every small claims plaintiff to serve all named defendants with the Notice of Availability of Web Portal for Interpreter Requests, along with the SC-100.
The notice tells litigants that the court provides interpreters in small claims hearings at no cost to parties with limited English proficiency, and that Spanish interpreters are readily available in all courtrooms that hear small claims. For other languages, parties request an interpreter in advance through the court's online Small Claims interpreter request portal.
The General Order is specific about the proof: the plaintiff must show service of this notice on line 3(d) of the SC-104.
Listing the Notices on Your SC-104
The SC-104 Proof of Service has a checkbox for the SC-100 at item 3a. The LA notices are not on the statewide form, so they go in item 3d, "Other (specify)." Name each document served, for example:
- Notice of Remote Appearances and Exchange and Submission of Evidence Protocol (LASC SMCL 016)
- Third Amended Standing Order Re: Evidence Exchange (2026-SJ-003-00), with SCLAC SMCL 278 and 279
- Notice of Availability of Small Claims Web Portal for Interpreter Requests
If the claim was served by substituted service, the follow-up mailing must include copies of the same documents. For a box-by-box walk-through of the form, see How to Fill Out the SC-104 Small Claims Proof of Service.
A Practical Tip
Before handing papers to your server, staple each defendant's set together in this order: SC-100, SMCL 016, the standing order with forms 278 and 279, and the interpreter notice. Give the server a written list of what is in the set so item 3d matches exactly.
Key Deadlines for an LA Small Claims Case
Three different deadlines run at once. Keep them separate:
- Serving the defendant: under Code of Civil Procedure section 116.340, service must be completed at least 15 days before the hearing if the defendant lives in the county, or at least 20 days before if they live outside it. Substituted service is not complete until the tenth day after the follow-up mailing.
- Exchanging evidence: at least 10 days before the hearing, through the DES or by delivery that ensures receipt, under the standing order.
- Filing the proof of service: the SC-104 must be filed at least 5 days before the hearing.
The safest plan is to have the defendant served as soon as the claim is filed. That leaves time for a second attempt, a substituted service mailing period, or a switch to a different address if the first one fails. For more on timing and small claims service generally, see Process Serving for Small Claims Court.
Who Can Serve the Papers
The usual small claims rules apply. The server must be at least 18 and not a party to the case — the plaintiff cannot serve the papers personally. Options include a registered process server, the sheriff or marshal, or the clerk mailing the claim by certified mail with a return receipt. Clerk mailing only works if the defendant signs the receipt, so many plaintiffs use a process server for reliability. See Can You Serve Court Papers Yourself?
If the defendant is a business, the papers must go to a person authorized to accept service, such as the agent for service of process on file with the Secretary of State. See How to Serve a Business with Legal Papers.
Common Mistakes in LA Small Claims Service
- Serving only the SC-100. The local notices are court-ordered, not optional.
- Serving the notices but not listing them on the SC-104. The interpreter notice specifically must appear in item 3d.
- Using an outdated version. The evidence standing order has been amended three times. Download the current version from lacourt.org when you file.
- Leaving the notices out of the substituted service mailing. The mailed copy should match what was left with the adult.
- Confusing the evidence deadline with the service deadline. Evidence is due 10 days out; service must be complete 15 or 20 days out.
- Not getting the defendant's email. Sharing evidence through the DES requires it. If you do not have it, plan on the physical evidence option.
- Filing the SC-104 late. It must be on file at least 5 days before the hearing.
How Famous Legal Services Helps
Famous Legal Services serves small claims papers throughout Los Angeles County every week. We serve the complete set — the SC-100 and every required LA notice — and return an SC-104 with each document listed in item 3d, ready to file. Attempts are GPS-verified, and rush and same-day service are available when the hearing is close. For more on serving in LA, see Serving Legal Documents in Los Angeles.
Final Thoughts
In Los Angeles, a correctly served small claims case means more than the SC-100. Serve the SMCL 016 notice, the evidence exchange standing order with its forms, and the interpreter notice; list each one in item 3d of the SC-104; and keep the 20-, 15-, 10-, and 5-day deadlines straight. Check lacourt.org for the current versions before you serve, since the court updates them.
Need small claims papers served in LA County? Famous Legal Services handles it. Place an order online or call (888) 335-3318.
Experiencing phone issues? Call us directly at (818) 371-2544