Subject to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 283) of Title 5 of Part 1 of this code and Section 215 of the Family Code, when a notice, order, or other paper is required to be served under this title on the judgment creditor, it shall be served on the judgment creditor's attorney of record rather than on the judgment creditor if the judgment creditor has an attorney of record.
§ 684.010.Service On Judgment Creditor's Attorney of Record
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 1 · Chapter 4. Manner of Service of Writs, Notices, and Other Papers · Article 1. Service on Attorney of Creditor or Debtor · Last amended 1994 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 684.010 requires that a notice, order, or other paper this title requires to be served on the judgment creditor be served instead on the creditor's attorney of record, when the creditor has one, subject to the attorney-authority rules of § 283 and Family Code § 215.
Full Text of § 684.010
Plain-English Summary
Once a creditor has a lawyer of record, this section routes service through that lawyer rather than the creditor directly. Whenever this title requires serving something on the judgment creditor — a notice, an order, or any other paper — the party making service sends it to the attorney of record instead, so long as the creditor has one.
That default bends to two other bodies of law. Section 283 addresses an attorney's general authority to act for a client in an action, and Family Code § 215 governs service in family law matters — both take precedence where they apply.
Section 684.050 confirms the payoff: service made on the attorney under this article counts as service on the creditor for every purpose under this title, so the serving party doesn't need to double up by also serving the creditor personally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gets served when the judgment creditor has an attorney of record?
The attorney of record, rather than the creditor personally, for any notice, order, or other paper this title requires to be served on the creditor.
Does this rule always control?
Does serving the attorney count as serving the creditor?
Yes. Section 684.050 confirms that service on the attorney under this article constitutes service on the judgment creditor for purposes of this title.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 163, Sec. 32. Effective January 1, 1993. Operative January 1, 1994, by Sec. 161 of Ch. 163.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
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