Civil
The Civil Department can only answer civil process procedural questions. We can not give legal advice. If you have legal questions, please contact legal aid, an attorney, or visit Court Information.
The Sheriff’s Office Civil Section works in conjunction with the Civil Courts in Yolo County to provide the following services:
- Writs of Possession of real and personal property
- Writs of Execution and other non-writ processes
- Small Claims
- Summons and Complaints
- Civil Subpoenas
- Restraining Orders
Important things to remember when requesting service:
A letter of instructions that includes the name of the person(s) being served and the address where service is to be attempted must accompany all documents.
The letter of instructions must be signed and dated by the attorney of record or the plaintiff when there is no attorney.
A copy of the document, front and back, is required for all requests for service for each person to be served.
In addition, one copy is required for our file.
For levies and evictions, the original Writ plus three (3) copies are required.
One copy is required for each additional defendant.
All documents must be accompanied by the appropriate fee or a signed court-ordered fee waiver.
A proof of service will be mailed to you after your process has been served or a certificate of non-service will be mailed to you if our office has been unsuccessful in serving your process.
How do I evict a tenant?
You must first obtain a Writ of Possession for the property. You must then bring the following to the Sheriff’s Office Civil Section:
- The Original Writ plus three copies (one extra copy per defendant)
- A signed Letter of Instructions
- The appropriate fee
The Sheriff’s Office will then post the property and call you to set up an eviction date.
For information on how to obtain the Writ, please contact legal aid or an attorney.
How do I get a Restraining Order served?
Restraining orders are commonly issued for the prohibition of domestic violence or civil harassment. Once the Superior Court issues the restraining order, you can have the Sheriff’s Office attempt service for you to an address in Yolo County. To have the restraining order served by the Sheriff’s Office, you will need to bring the following to the Civil Section:
- Two copies of the order
- Signed Letter of Instructions
- Appropriate fee or a copy of the signed court-ordered fee waiver.
Once the order is served, the original proof of service will be sent to the court and a copy will be sent to you for your records. A certificate of non-service will be mailed to you if our office has been unsuccessful in serving your order.
It is important that you distribute the restraining orders and proof of services to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, as the Sheriff’s Office does not do this task.