Alameda County Small Claims: Virtual Hearings Guide

Updated May 2026

If you live in Alameda County and you've filed a small claims case, you may be wondering whether you can appear on Zoom instead of driving to the courthouse. Yes, you can, but only with permission. This guide walks you through Alameda's remote-appearance system, how to request a virtual hearing, what to expect on the call, and the other small details you should know. By the end you'll know whether a virtual hearing is right for your case and how to set yourself up to win on camera.

Alameda's Two Small Claims Courthouses

There are two Alameda courthouses; both handle filing paperwork and the court day hearing. They're located at:

• Hayward Hall of Justice: 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, CA 94544
• Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse (Oakland): 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612

As of October 2021, both courthouses returned to in-person small claims hearings by default. Remote appearances are still allowed, but you must request one and have it approved by the judicial officer.

The two courthouses split the caseload by region. Hayward serves the southern and central parts of the county (Hayward, San Leandro, Castro Valley, Fremont, Newark, Union City). Oakland serves the northern half (Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont). Your hearing notice will say which courthouse your case is assigned to.

For the basics of filing the SC-100 statewide, see our complete guide to filing small claims in California.

THE LOCAL QUIRK MOST PEOPLE MISS

Alameda launched a small-claims Digital Evidence Portal in February 2025.

This is the freshest piece of news in CA small claims, and almost nobody knows about it yet. Alameda built a Digital Evidence Portal that lets you upload your photos, videos, contracts, and text-message screenshots online before trial; no more bringing 30 printed pages to the courthouse or fumbling with screensharing on Zoom. Find it at Alameda.courts.ca.gov/online-services/digital-evidence-portal. There are rules; you must create an account with your case number, the files must be PDFs, and the deadline is 3:00 p.m. the day before your hearing. The portal currently works for Dept 519 (Hayward) and Dept 105 (Wiley W. Manuel) only. Using the portal is voluntary but strongly encouraged, especially if you're appearing virtually. ClaimKit Core includes a portal prep guide that walks you through what to upload, in what order, and how to name the files, so the judge can find what you’re pointing to during the hearing.

How to Request a Virtual Hearing in Alameda

Alameda uses ZoomGov for remote small claims appearances. The court doesn’t publish the Zoom links publicly; you must email the department where your hearing is assigned and ask permission first.

Step 1: Find your department. Your hearing notice lists a department number. Alameda's small claims departments are typically 105, 519, or 521. The notice will tell you which one.

Step 2: Email the right address. Send your remote appearance request to the department-specific email:

• Dept 105: Dept105@Alameda.courts.ca.gov
• Dept 519: Dept519@Alameda.courts.ca.gov
• Dept 521: Dept521@Alameda.courts.ca.gov

Step 3: Use the right subject line. The court requires a specific format. Subject line must include: your case number, your case name, your party position (Plaintiff or Defendant - Small Claims), and your scheduled hearing date and time. For example:

Step 4: Explain your reason for the request. Keep the body of the email short and specific. Examples that work: "I live outside Alameda County and can’t travel to court that day." "I have a medical condition that makes in-person appearance difficult." "I work an out-of-state schedule and can’t be in Hayward on the hearing date." The judicial officer reviews your request for good cause.

Step 5: Wait for the order. You'll get an email back, either granting or denying the request. If granted, the email will include the ZoomGov link and call-in information for your hearing. If denied, you appear in person.

File your request as far in advance as possible. The court asks for at least one week before the hearing date, ideally two.

What to Expect on Hearing Day

If your remote appearance is approved, here's how the day typically runs.

Log in 15 minutes early. Zoom calls sometimes have audio or video issues that take a few minutes to fix. Logging in early gives you a buffer and lets the clerk see you're ready.

You'll wait in the Zoom waiting room. The clerk or judicial officer admits people from the waiting room as cases are called. The order isn’t always the order on the calendar; the court may take continuances and short matters first.

Mute when you're not speaking. Court calendars often have multiple cases on the same Zoom call. Background noise from your kitchen, dog, or kids will disrupt everyone. I guarantee you don’t want to be the person who gets asked to fix background noise.

Have your evidence ready to share. The judge may ask you to share your screen and show a document. Have your photos, contracts, and text-message screenshots open in a folder on your desktop so you can find them fast. If you aren’t using the new digital evidence portal, make sure you know how to share your screen if the judge asks you to.

Stand by your phone for a backup. Zoom calls sometimes drop. The court order will typically include a phone number you can call into if your video fails.

Address the judge as "Your Honor." Same as in person.

Don't drive, don't multitask, and don't be in a coffee shop. Judges are known to end hearings because the person was busy driving, walking in public, or in a noisy environment. Sit at a desk or table, in a quiet room, with a plain background.

Alameda-Specific Tips

• Request a virtual hearing the day you get your hearing notice. Don't wait until the week before. Department calendars fill up, and last-minute requests are more likely to be denied.
• Use the email subject format exactly as the court asks. Make sure the subject line is properly formatted, so the clerk's filters don’t miss it. Copy the format above into the subject line word for word.
• Test your Zoom setup the day before. Open ZoomGov, check your camera, check your microphone, and check your screensharing. Be sure to resolve any issues the night before, not 10 minutes before your hearing.
• Have a paper copy of your evidence as a backup. If you must switch to a phone call because your video drops, you'll want to read from paper instead of trying to share your screen.
• Keep your full address and phone number off camera. Don't sit in front of a window that shows your house number; don't have mail visible behind you. Anything in frame is on the record.
• Spanish-language Zoom instructions are available. Alameda publishes the ZoomGov small claims instructions in both English and Spanish on the court's remote-appearance page.

Common Alameda Virtual Hearing Mistakes

• Assuming the Zoom link is public. It isn't. You must request it from your department by email, and the link is only sent to people whose request is approved.
• Showing up on Zoom without prior approval. Walking into the virtual waiting room without an approved request can mean the judge denies your appearance and rules without you.
• Driving during the hearing. Judges in Alameda have ended hearings for this. Make sure you’re sitting in a quiet room.
• Forgetting the time zone. Alameda hearings are on Pacific time. If you're traveling, set the alarm to the local Pacific time zone.
• Skipping the evidence exchange. CA requires both sides to share evidence at least 10 days before the hearing. The rule applies to virtual hearings the same as in-person ones.

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Virtual hearings in Alameda County are a real option for the right cases, but they take some prep work. Be sure to request the appearance early, follow the email format exactly, test your setup, and treat the call with the same respect you would give an in-person courtroom. The system works when you understand it.

If you want a complete walkthrough, see our full California Small Claims Guide, which covers every step from before-you-file decisions through after-you-win collection.

ClaimKit Help is an educational guide, not legal advice. Verify court rules, forms, and deadlines before filing.

Source: California Courts Self-Help: Small Claims