(a) If a superior court issues an order granting, denying, or otherwise resolving a petition under Section 2029.600 or 2029.620, a person aggrieved by the order may petition the appropriate court of appeal for an extraordinary writ. No order or other action of a court under this article is appealable in this state.
§ 2029.650.Writ petition
Title 4. Civil Discovery Act · Chapter 12. Discovery in Action Pending Outside California · Article 1. Interstate and International Depositions and Discovery Act · Enacted 2008 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 2029.650 lets anyone aggrieved by a superior court's ruling on a discovery petition under this article seek review only through an extraordinary writ petition to the court of appeal, which may stay the underlying order or discovery pending its decision.
Full Text of § 2029.650
(b) Pending its decision on the writ petition, the court of appeal may stay the order of the superior court, the discovery that is the subject of that order, or both.
Plain-English Summary
Discovery rulings under this article don't follow the ordinary appellate track. When a superior court grants, denies, or otherwise resolves a petition filed under Section 2029.600 or 2029.620, a person aggrieved by that order has exactly one avenue for review: petitioning the appropriate court of appeal for an extraordinary writ. No order or other action the court takes under this article can be appealed in the ordinary sense in California.
Choosing the writ route doesn't mean the underlying discovery has to proceed while review is pending. While the court of appeal considers the writ petition, it can stay the superior court's order, the discovery itself, or both, preserving the status quo until the review is resolved. That combination, writ-only review paired with discretionary stay authority, reflects how quickly discovery disputes in an ongoing out-of-state case need to move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a party appeal a superior court's ruling on a petition under this article?
No. Section 2029.650 makes clear no order or action under this article is appealable; review is only available through an extraordinary writ petition.
Which court hears a writ petition challenging a ruling under this article?
The appropriate court of appeal.
Can discovery be paused while a writ petition is pending?
Yes. The court of appeal may stay the superior court's order, the discovery itself, or both, pending its decision.
Amendment History
(Added by Stats.2008, c. 231 (A.B.2193), § 3, operative Jan. 1, 2010.)
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: writ petition discovery order californiaappeal discovery ruling interstate act