Civil Unit

contact information:

physical address: 49 Bryant street 

mailing address: P.O. BOX 616

Bridgeport, ca 93517

760-932-5276

email: civil@monosheriff.org

public hours:

office: 7:00 - 3:00 PM

telephone: 7:00 - 3:00 Pm

Monday - Thursday 

general information

The Mono County Sheriff's Office Civil Unit is comprised of a single full-time Deputy Sheriff working in conjunction with all other sworn and non-sworn staff throughout the county.

The Civil Unit is dedicated to civil enforcement and process service. Sworn personnel perform evictions throughout the county. They also serve restraining orders, immediate move-out orders, civil bench warrants, and enforce civil judgments. Enforcement of civil judgments can include: a levy on, and sale of personal property to satisfy money judgments, collect proceeds of sales transactions from small businesses to satisfy money judgments, seizing property, and turning it over to the plaintiff in a civil action.

The Civil Deputy processes all incoming service requests. He/she also completes service of process and enforcement actions in the field. All monies collected under wage garnishments, bank levies, and other enforcement actions will be distributed to the judgment creditor(s) or a designee towards satisfying the judgment. The Civil Deputy processes claims, stays, exemptions, and bankruptcies on civil enforcement actions and communicates with the courts to determine dispositions.

The Civil Unit serves civil process in the manner prescribed by law. Civil process includes summons and complaints, small claims documents for a civil lawsuit, restraining orders, bench warrants, evictions and any other notice or order from the courts. We also levy on wages, bank accounts, vehicles or any asset of the judgment debtor. All requests for service or levy must include a signed letter of instructions (CCP 262) to the Sheriff. Additionally, necessary fees for service or an order of the court waiving the Sheriff's fee for service must be included. All documents must be received in our office a minimum of 10 days prior to the last day for service.

Public counter hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:00am to 3:00pm. If you need to drop off a service packet outside of these posted hours of operation, please contact the Civil Unit during business hours to make arrangements.   

The Sheriff provides a cost effective, credible service, and successfully serves most defendants. However, since the case is civil in nature the Sheriff cannot utilize criminal investigative tactics such as stakeouts or computer inquiries (DMV, arrest records, etc.) to serve process, therefore we cannot guarantee service.

sheriff's instructions:

Signed instructions directing the Sheriff to serve process or perform an enforcement action are required (CCP 262). The instructions must be signed by the plaintiff's attorney or the plaintiff, if you there is no attorney. The instruction letter must me completed in it's entirety. The form requires the following information:

• Requestor's (this can be the plaintiff/plaintiff's attorney, etc) name.
• The documents to be served. Form name and/or form number should be listed. 
• The full name of the defendant or person who is to be served. Business name if the service is on a business. Phone number, place of employment, vehicle descriptions, etc. 
• A PHYSICAL ADDRESS where the person or business to be served can be found. NO P.O. BOXES.
• The case title.
• The court case number, court location, and the date of hearing if there is a hearing date.
• The Sheriff's Instructions MUST BE SIGNED.  Failure to do so may result in the Civil Process being returned to the requestor.
• The requestor's address information. This includes a mailing address where all communication, refunds, collections, proof's of service, or other documents can me mailed. 
• Additional comments: officer safety information, gated community code, etc. Any information that would help the serving deputy complete the service safely and quickly. 

***sheriff's instructions link at the bottom of the page***

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Documents MUST BE PROPER ON THEIR FACE, issued by the court as legal documents or from the requesting person and MUST be submitted promptly if pending court date.
• Enclose a SELF ADDRESS STAMPED ENVELOPE.
• Enclose proper payment for service. (money order or check)(cash payment only accepted at counter). Make checks payable to the Mono County Sheriff's Office.  
• See the fee schedule below to determine the fees associated with your service request. 

In complex cases involving levies, auto levies, real estate levies, and sales, etc., please contact the Civil Division at (760) 932-5276 for further assistance.

Change of Address Request

If you are a company or attorney and need to change your address with the Civil Bureau, please mail a signed request to change your address. This request should be on your company letterhead and reference your Levy Officer file number, court case number and case title. 

fees in general:

The Sheriff is required by law to charge fees for most civil process actions. You must pay the fee deposit, in advance, which ranges from less than fifty dollars for a typical service or several thousand dollars depending on the complexity. In the case of levies, in addition to the Sheriff's levy fee, other costs may include charges for moving and storage, towing, recording, publishing in a newspaper, and keepers. Any unused portion of the fee deposit is refunded. Sheriff fees are added to the judgment and increase the amount the debtor must pay to fully satisfy the case. In most cases the Sheriff is entitled to their fee whether the service/levy is successful or unsuccessful pursuant to Govt. Code 26736 and Govt. Code 26738.

***fee and deposit link at the bottom of the page***

Eviction Procedure

The procedure for eviction, once the writ is delivered to the Sheriff for serving, is spelled out in Section 1174 of the Code of Civil Procedure. From the date of service of the writ by the Sheriff, the tenant is given five (5) days to vacate the premises. If the tenant fails to move out within the 5 day period, the Sheriff must conduct a forcible eviction. The SHERIFF'S OFFICE CANNOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE, or stop an eviction without cause. If you received an eviction notice, it is your responsibility to seek legal advice and/or other assistance. Below are two links to California Gov websites that can assist both landlords and tenants with understanding the eviction process. 

https://www.courts.ca.gov/

http://landlordtenant.dre.ca.gov/

Civil Frequently Asked Questions

How do I submit a civil paper for service?

Please mail us a copy of the documents to be served along with the service fee, a signed letter of instruction, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. For some services such as levies, we need the original stamped writ you received from the court. 

Mono County Sheriff's Office

P.O. Box 616

Bridgeport, CA 93517              

Can I email papers and pay for service with a credit card?

No. We do NOT currently accept electronic payment or credit cards for service and do NOT accept civil papers by email.

Can I bring the papers to you at the Sheriff’s Station?

Yes. However, the civil unit is comprised of one civil deputy who both receives and serves civil process. It is in your best interest to make an appointment with the civil unit if you plan to drop of civil paperwork. The Bridgeport Office service counter has variable hours and the civil office is staffed Monday through Thursday from 7:00am to 3:00pm.  

Why do I need to do a letter of instruction? What does it say?

We MUST have a signed letter of instruction (CCP 262) from the plaintiff or their attorney directing us to where the person you want to be served may be found. It must be a physical address within Mono County. It is imperative that you provide us with any information about possible weapons, aggressive dogs, or other things that could pose a risk to our staff during service. It is also important we have your phone number to contact you if there are any questions. Complex services can require more detailed instructions. 

***SHERIFF'S INSTRUCTIONS link AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE***

Are all the service fees the same?

No. Various services have different set fees depending on the type of service. Please contact the civil officer for details on different fees and detailed instructions for service. The most typical service fee is $40.00. Exact change is required if paying in person with cash. Checks should be made payable to Mono County Sheriff’s Office. 

Are there any other fees required?

For out of state service of process that require a notary, add $15.00 to your service cost total. Example: $40.00 service plus $15.00 notary fee, total fee for services is $55.00. 

How long does it take to serve the papers?

Papers are processed in the order received. We complete all services as fast as possible. However, it may take three weeks or more to process and complete the service. There are also mailing delays and timelines for certain services. If you are submitting papers that have a court date, please submit the papers AT LEAST FOUR WEEKS  in advance of the court date. Defendants in certain cases are required to be served well ahead of the court date to be able to prepare. This is especially true for out-of-county or out-of-state cases. If you provide paperwork without a reasonable amount of time to be served, it may be rejected and returned to you. 

What areas do you cover for serving civil papers?

Our office serves papers to subjects working or residing within Mono County. The service address MUST be a physical address within Mono County. This includes the town of Mammoth Lakes.

What do I get once the service is done?

For a successful service you will receive a receipt for fee(s) paid and a Proof of Service. For an unsuccessful service you will receive a receipt for fee(s) paid, a declaration of diligence, and an affidavit of unsuccessful service. We typically make at least three service attempts on different days and various time to ensure we are as diligent as possible with successfully completing any service.

What if my service is very complicated?

Complicated service of process such as evictions, bank levies, wage garnishments, and property sales need special instructions, fees, and processing. The Writ of Execution forms issued by the courts can be used to perform multiple functions. Occasionally, there are errors or omissions on these documents. We need them to be complete and accurate to accomplish levies or evictions. We are unable to perform these services if the orders are incomplete or not proper on their face. Contact the civil unit if you need assistance. However, we cannot provide legal advice (BP 6125).

How can I correspond with the civil unit?

You can call the civil unit at 760-932-5276 Monday through Thursday during the hours of 7:00am to 3:00pm. Or you may email us at civil@monosheriff.org. We return all phone calls and emails as soon as possible.  

For crime reporting please call the dispatcher at 760-932-7549  Ext# 7 or 911 to report an emergency.