What Is Remote Court Appearance in California and How Can It Protect Immigrants?

June 24, 2026

Summary

• ICE enforcement at California courthouses has surged since 2025, making routine court dates risky for immigrants.
• A remote court appearance lets you attend your hearing by video or phone instead of in person.
• It helps you meet your legal obligations without walking past ICE agents at the courthouse.
• This guide covers what a remote court appearance is, which California hearings qualify, and how it can protect immigrants and their families from courthouse arrests.

What Is a Remote Court Appearance? 

A remote court appearance means attending a court proceeding through remote technology rather than being physically present in the courtroom. Under California Rules of Court, “remote technology” includes video platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, telephone systems like CourtCall, or audio-only connections. You participate in the hearing from your home, your attorney’s office, or another safe location. 

California formalized remote appearances statewide after the pandemic. In most cases you must notify the court and the other parties that you intend to appear remotely by filing Form RA-010 (Notice of Remote Appearance), generally at least two court days before the hearing. The judge can also issue an order about remote appearances using Form RA-020. 

Which California Hearings Qualify for Remote Appearance? 

Not every proceeding can be handled remotely, and the rules differ by case type. In broad terms, California courts currently allow: 

• Infractions: parties and counsel may appear remotely, including for most hearings. 

• Misdemeanors: defendants may appear remotely for most proceedings, except misdemeanor trials. 

• Felonies: defendants may appear remotely for certain hearings if they have waived their right to be physically present in advance, but generally must appear in person for trials and sentencing. 

• Civil and family matters: status conferences, case management conferences, and many motions are widely available remotely. 

Hearings that involve live witness testimony, jury selection, or the examination of physical evidence face stricter limits or may require in-person attendance. Because eligibility varies by county and by judge, confirm with the court, or have your attorney confirm, before assuming a hearing can be done remotely. 

Why Remote Appearances Matter So Much for Immigrants Right Now 

California law has long prohibited civil immigration arrests inside courthouses. That protection came under pressure in May 2025, when prior federal guidance limiting courthouse enforcement was revoked. Since then, ICE agents have detained hundreds of people at routine check-ins and court hearings in San Francisco, Concord, Sacramento, and other locations across the state. 

This created an impossible bind for immigrants with pending cases: appear in person and risk arrest, or skip the hearing and risk a warrant, a conviction, or, in immigration court, an automatic removal order. As one federal judge put it, people were caught “between a rock and a hard place.” 

On December 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts ordered a halt to ICE courthouse arrests across the San Francisco / Northern California region, which includes the Bay Area and Central California courts where many of our clients have hearings. While that order is significant, it is limited in scope and subject to appeal. Enforcement practices can change quickly, which is exactly why reducing your physical exposure through a remote appearance remains a smart, proactive step. 

How a Remote Court Appearance Can Protect You 

Appearing remotely does not make your case go away, but it can meaningfully lower the risk that a court date turns into an immigration detention. A remote appearance lets you: 

• Stay out of the courthouse building, where most courthouse-based immigration arrests occur. 

• Meet your legal obligation to appear, avoiding a bench warrant or a failure-to-appear that could itself trigger immigration consequences. 

• Keep your family safer, since relatives who would otherwise accompany you no longer need to enter the building either. 

• Preserve your defense, because you remain present and participating in the case rather than missing the hearing entirely. 

For noncitizens, including green card holders, visa holders, DACA recipients, asylum seekers, and the undocumented, even a brief detention can disrupt employment, family obligations, and pending immigration applications. Minimizing time inside the courthouse is a concrete way to reduce that risk. 

How to Request a Remote Appearance in California 

1. Talk to your attorney first. They can confirm whether your specific hearing qualifies and whether appearing remotely is strategically wise in your case. 
2. Check the court’s local rules. Each Superior Court (for example, San Mateo or Santa Clara County) publishes its own remote-appearance instructions and platform: Zoom, Teams, or CourtCall. 
3. File Form RA-010. Serve the Notice of Remote Appearance on the court and all parties, generally at least two court days before the hearing. 
4. Test your technology. Make sure your device, camera, microphone, and internet connection work, and join from a quiet, private space. 
5. Confirm the order. The judge may issue Form RA-020 granting or setting conditions for your remote appearance. 

The Limits: What a Remote Appearance Cannot Do 

A remote appearance is a shield, not a cure. It does not resolve the underlying charges, and some hearings, such as trials, sentencing in serious cases, and proceedings requiring testimony, may still require you to appear in person. It also does not change your immigration status or erase prior convictions that carry immigration consequences. The protection it offers is narrow but real: it keeps you out of the building on the days you can attend remotely. 

This is why pairing a remote-appearance strategy with experienced criminal and immigration-aware defense matters. The goal is not just to get through one hearing safely; it is to resolve the case in a way that protects your record and your future in the United States. 

California’s Response: The Push to Expand Remote Appearances 

State lawmakers are moving to make remote appearances a more durable protection. Senator Susan Rubio introduced the Keep Courts Safe from ICE Act, which would expand remote appearance options for the majority of civil and criminal state court hearings, trials, and conferences through January 2029. Supporters argue that courthouses should be “places of justice, not fear.” California’s chief justice has also stepped up monitoring of immigration arrests at courthouses. These measures are still developing, so the safest course is to work with an attorney who tracks the rules as they change.

Facing a court date and worried about ICE? Talk to a defense attorney first. 

At Defend CA, we defend clients across San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, including Redwood City, with close attention to how every charge can affect immigration status. If you or a loved one has an upcoming hearing, we can advise whether a remote appearance is available and build a defense strategy that protects both your case and your future. Schedule a confidential consultation today. 

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Remote Court Appearance California

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