Service of pleadings and papers in a comprehensive adjudication, other than the complaint initiating a comprehensive adjudication, shall occur electronically to the greatest extent possible. The court may provide, or authorize the use of, an electronic service system. If an electronic service system is not provided or authorized by the court, the court and the parties shall serve documents by email or other equivalent electronic means to the greatest extent possible. To enable electronic service of pleadings and papers, the attorneys of record or parties representing themselves shall include an email address for service in the captions of all pleadings they file in the comprehensive adjudication.
§ 839.Service of Pleadings and Papers; Electronic Service System
Title 10. Actions In Particular Cases · Chapter 7. Actions Relating to Groundwater Rights · Article 6. Electronic Service · Enacted 2015 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 839 requires electronic service of pleadings and papers in a comprehensive adjudication to the greatest extent possible, other than the initiating complaint, and requires attorneys and self-represented parties to include an email address in their pleading captions.
Full Text of § 839
Plain-English Summary
Given how many parties a comprehensive adjudication can involve, paper service of every filing would be unwieldy. Section 839 pushes the case toward electronic service as the default, aside from the complaint that initiates the comprehensive adjudication, which follows the separate service-and-notice process in §§ 835 and 836.
The court may provide or authorize an electronic service system for the case. If it doesn't, the court and the parties must instead serve documents by email or another equivalent electronic method, again to the greatest extent possible. To make that workable, every attorney of record and every self-represented party must include an email address for service in the caption of every pleading filed in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the initiating complaint need to be served electronically?
No. Section 839 excludes the complaint that initiates the comprehensive adjudication, which is served under the notice procedures of §§ 835 and 836.
What if the court doesn't set up an electronic service system?
The court and parties must still serve documents by email or another equivalent electronic method to the greatest extent possible.
What must appear in the caption of every pleading filed in the case?
An email address for service, for both attorneys of record and self-represented parties.
Amendment History
Added by Stats 2015 ch 672 (AB 1390),s 1, eff. 1/1/2016.
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
Also known as: electronic service groundwater adjudication california