Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, upon a judgment becoming final, at the expiration of the appeal period, unless an appeal is pending, the court, in its discretion, and on its own motion by a written order signed by the judge, filed in the action, and an entry thereof made in the register of actions, may order the clerk to return all of the exhibits, depositions, and administrative records introduced or filed in the trial of a civil action or proceeding to the attorneys for the parties introducing or filing the same.
§ 1952.2.Return of exhibits, depositions, and administrative records
Title 2. Of the Kinds and Degrees of Evidence · Chapter 3. Writings · Article 3. Private Writings · Last amended 1991 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1952.2 lets a court, once a judgment becomes final and the appeal period has run without an appeal pending, order on its own motion that the clerk return trial exhibits, depositions, and administrative records to the attorneys who introduced or filed them.
Full Text of § 1952.2
Plain-English Summary
This section gives a court an early-return option for materials Section 1952 would otherwise hold onto. After a judgment becomes final, once the time to appeal has expired and no appeal is pending, the court can act on its own initiative to have everything returned sooner rather than waiting out the full retention scheme.
Doing so takes a specific form: a written order the judge signs, filed in the action, with an entry made in the register of actions. Once that happens, the clerk returns every exhibit, deposition, and administrative record introduced or filed in the trial to the attorneys for the parties who put them in.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can a court order exhibits returned under this section?
After a judgment becomes final and the appeal period has expired without an appeal pending.
Who initiates the return under Section 1952.2?
The court, on its own motion, not a party's request.
What does the court have to do to make this order effective?
Sign a written order, file it in the action, and have an entry made in the register of actions.
Who receives the returned materials?
The attorneys for the parties who introduced or filed the exhibits, depositions, or administrative records.
Amendment History
(Added by Stats.1959, c. 343, p. 2267, § 1. Amended by Stats.1969, c. 44, p. 156, § 1; Stats.1984, c. 27, § 3; Stats.1991, c. 1090 (A.B.1484), § 8.)
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the West's Annotated California Codes / Thomson Reuters. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: returning exhibits to attorneys after judgmentcourt order return trial exhibits california