(a) In each superior court with 18 or more judges, all nonexempt unlimited civil cases shall be submitted to arbitration under this chapter if the amount in controversy, in the opinion of the court, will not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for each plaintiff.
§ 1141.11.Unlimited Civil Cases Submitted to Arbitration; Limited Civil Cases; Motor Vehicle Collisions
Title 3. Of Summary Proceedings · Chapter 2.5. Judicial Arbitration · Last amended 2004 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1141.11 requires large superior courts to send unlimited civil cases with $50,000 or less in controversy per plaintiff to arbitration, lets smaller courts adopt that same threshold and extend arbitration to limited civil cases by local rule, and separately makes arbitration mandatory within 120 days of an answer for limited civil motor vehicle collision cases against a single defendant.
Full Text of § 1141.11
(b) In each superior court with fewer than 18 judges, the court may provide by local rule, when it determines that it is in the best interests of justice, that all nonexempt, unlimited civil cases shall be submitted to arbitration under this chapter if the amount in controversy, in the opinion of the court, will not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for each plaintiff.
(c) Each superior court may provide by local rule, when it is determined to be in the best interests of justice, that all nonexempt, limited civil cases shall be submitted to arbitration under this chapter. This section does not apply to any action in small claims court, or to any action maintained pursuant to Section 1781 of the Civil Code or Section 1161.
(1) In each court that has adopted judicial arbitration pursuant to subdivision (c), all limited civil cases that involve a claim for money damages against a single defendant as a result of a motor vehicle collision, except those heard in the small claims division, shall be submitted to arbitration within 120 days of the filing of the defendant's answer to the complaint (except as may be extended by the court for good cause) before an arbitrator selected by the court.
(2) The court may provide by local rule for the voluntary or mandatory use of case questionnaires, established under Section 93, in any proceeding subject to these provisions. Where local rules provide for the use of case questionnaires, the questionnaires shall be exchanged by the parties upon the defendant's answer and completed and returned within 60 days.
(3) For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "single defendant" means any of the following:
(A) An individual defendant, whether a person or an entity.
(B) Two or more persons covered by the same insurance policy applicable to the motor vehicle collision.
(C) Two or more persons residing in the same household when no insurance policy exists that is applicable to the motor vehicle collision.
(4) The naming of one or more cross-defendants, not a plaintiff, shall constitute a multiple-defendant case not subject to the provisions of this subdivision.
Plain-English Summary
This section decides which cases go to judicial arbitration, and it draws that line differently depending on the size of the court and the type of case. Subdivision (a) requires every superior court with 18 or more judges to submit all nonexempt unlimited civil cases to arbitration when the amount in controversy is $50,000 or less per plaintiff — that's not optional for large courts. Subdivision (b) gives smaller courts, those with fewer than 18 judges, the option to adopt the same $50,000 threshold by local rule when it serves the interests of justice.
Subdivision (c) lets any superior court go further by local rule and route limited civil cases into arbitration too, though it carves out small claims cases and actions under the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Civil Code § 1781, or the unlawful detainer statute, § 1161.
Subdivision (d) adds a separate, narrower mandate that depends on a court having adopted arbitration under subdivision (c): once it has, all limited civil cases seeking money damages from a single defendant arising from a motor vehicle collision — apart from small-claims matters — must go to arbitration within 120 days of the defendant's answer, absent a good-cause extension. The subdivision defines "single defendant" broadly enough to cover multiple people sharing one insurance policy or one household, but naming any cross-defendant, other than a plaintiff, turns the case into a multiple-defendant case outside this fast track.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which unlimited civil cases must go to arbitration?
In superior courts with 18 or more judges, every nonexempt unlimited civil case where the amount in controversy is $50,000 or less per plaintiff must be submitted to arbitration.
Do smaller superior courts have to send cases to arbitration too?
Not automatically. A court with fewer than 18 judges may adopt the same $50,000 threshold by local rule if it finds that doing so serves the interests of justice.
Are limited civil cases ever required to go to arbitration?
Yes, on two tracks: a court may extend arbitration to limited civil cases generally by local rule under subdivision (c), and once it has done so, limited civil motor vehicle collision cases against a single defendant must go to arbitration within 120 days of the answer under subdivision (d).
What counts as a "single defendant" for the motor vehicle collision track?
An individual defendant, two or more people covered by the same insurance policy, or two or more people living in the same household with no applicable insurance — but naming a cross-defendant turns the case into a multiple-defendant case outside this rule.
Are small claims or unlawful detainer cases ever sent to judicial arbitration?
No. Section 1141.11(c) expressly excludes small claims actions, Consumer Legal Remedies Act actions under Civil Code § 1781, and unlawful detainer actions under § 1161.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2003 ch 449 (AB 1712),s 10, eff. 1/1/2004. Amended by Stats 2002 ch 784 (SB 1316),s 78, eff. 1/1/2003.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: judicial arbitration eligibility californiamandatory arbitration amount in controversy californiamotor vehicle collision arbitration california