ARTICLE 1. Right to Attach Order; Issuance of Writ of Attachment [484.010. - 484.110.]

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP 1.

in effect

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.010. Section 484.010.

Upon the filing of the complaint or at any time thereafter, the plaintiff may apply pursuant to this article for a right to attach order and a writ of attachment by filing an application for the order and writ with the court in which the action is brought.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.020. Section 484.020.

The application shall be executed under oath and shall include all of the following: (a) A statement showing that the attachment is sought to secure the recovery on a claim upon which an attachment may be issued. (b) A statement of the amount to be secured by the attachment. (c) A statement that the attachment is not sought for a purpose other than the recovery on the claim upon which the attachment is based. (d) A statement that the applicant has no information or belief that the claim is discharged in a proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code (Bankruptcy) or that the prosecution of the action is stayed in a proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code (Bankruptcy). (e) A description of the property to be attached under the writ of attachment and a statement that the plaintiff is informed and believes that such property is subject to attachment. Where the defendant is a corporation, a reference to “all corporate property which is subject to attachment pursuant to subdivision (a) of Code of Civil Procedure Section 487.010” satisfies the requirements of this subdivision. Where the defendant is a partnership or other unincorporated association, a reference to “all property of the partnership or other unincorporated association which is subject to attachment pursuant to subdivision (b) of Code of Civil Procedure Section 487.010” satisfies the requirements of this subdivision. Where the defendant is a natural person, the description of the property shall be reasonably adequate to permit the defendant to identify the specific property sought to be attached.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.030. Section 484.030.

The application shall be supported by an affidavit showing that the plaintiff on the facts presented would be entitled to a judgment on the claim upon which the attachment is based.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.040. Section 484.040.

No order or writ shall be issued under this article except after a hearing. At the times prescribed by subdivision (b) of Section 1005, the defendant shall be served with all of the following: (a) A copy of the summons and complaint. (b) A notice of application and hearing. (c) A copy of the application and of any affidavit in support of the application.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.050. Section 484.050.

The notice of application and hearing shall inform the defendant of all of the following: (a) A hearing will be held at a place and at a time, to be specified in the notice, on plaintiff’s application for a right to attach order and a writ of attachment. (b) The order will be issued if the court finds that the plaintiff’s claim is probably valid and the other requirements for issuing the order are established. The hearing is not for the purpose of determining whether the claim is actually valid. The determination of the actual validity of the claim will be made in subsequent proceedings in the action and will not be affected by the decisions at the hearing on the application for the order. (c) The amount to be secured by the attachment is determined pursuant to Sections 482.110, 483.010, 483.015, and 483.020, which statutes shall be summarized in the notice. (d) If the right to attach order is issued, a writ of attachment will be issued to attach the property described in the plaintiff’s application unless the court determines that such property is exempt from attachment or that its value clearly exceeds the amount necessary to satisfy the amount to be secured by the attachment. However, additional writs of attachment may be issued to attach other nonexempt property of the defendant on the basis of the right to attach order. (e) If the defendant desires to oppose the issuance of the order, the defendant shall file with the court and serve on the plaintiff a notice of opposition and supporting affidavit as required by Section 484.060 not later than five court days prior to the date set for hearing. (f) If the defendant claims that the personal property described in the application, or a portion thereof, is exempt from attachment, the defendant shall include that claim in the notice of opposition filed and served pursuant to Section 484.060 or file and serve a separate claim of exemption with respect to the property as provided in Section 484.070. If the defendant does not do so, the claim of exemption will be barred in the absence of a showing of a change in circumstances occurring after the expiration of the time for claiming exemptions. (g) The defendant may obtain a determination at the hearing whether real or personal property not described in the application or real property described in the application is exempt from attachment by including the claim in the notice of opposition filed and served pursuant to Section 484.060 or by filing and serving a separate claim of exemption with respect to the property as provided in Section 484.070, but the failure to so claim that the property is exempt from attachment will not preclude the defendant from making a claim of exemption with respect to the property at a later time. (h) Either the defendant or the defendant’s attorney or both of them may be present at the hearing. (i) The notice shall contain the following statement: “You may seek the advice of an attorney as to any matter connected with the plaintiff’s application. The attorney should be consulted promptly so that the attorney may assist you before the time set for hearing.”

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.060. Section 484.060.

(a) If the defendant desires to oppose the issuance of the right to attach order sought by plaintiff or objects to the amount sought to be secured by the attachment, the defendant shall file and serve upon the plaintiff no later than five court days prior to the date set for the hearing a notice of opposition. The notice shall state the grounds on which the defendant opposes the issuance of the order or objects to the amount sought to be secured by the attachment and shall be accompanied by an affidavit supporting any factual issues raised and points and authorities supporting any legal issues raised. If the defendant fails to file a notice of opposition within the time prescribed, the defendant shall not be permitted to oppose the issuance of the order. (b) If a defendant filing a notice of opposition desires to make any claim of exemption as provided in Section 484.070, the defendant may include that claim in the notice of opposition filed pursuant to this section. (c) The plaintiff may file and serve upon the opposing party a reply two court days prior to the date set for the hearing.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.070. Section 484.070.

(a) If the defendant claims that the personal property described in the plaintiff’s application, or a portion of such property, is exempt from attachment, the defendant shall claim the exemption as provided in this section. If the defendant fails to make the claim or makes the claim but fails to prove that the personal property is exempt, the defendant may not later claim the exemption except as provided in Section 482.100. (b) If the defendant desires to claim at the hearing that real or personal property not described in the plaintiff’s application or real property described in the plaintiff’s application is exempt from attachment, in whole or in part, the defendant shall claim the exemption as provided in this section. Failure to make the claim does not preclude the defendant from later claiming the exemption. If the claim is made as provided in this section but the defendant fails to prove that the property is exempt from attachment, the defendant may not later claim that the property, or a portion thereof, is exempt except as provided in Section 482.100. (c) The claim of exemption shall: (1) Describe the property claimed to be exempt. (2) Specify the statute section supporting the claim. (d) The claim of exemption shall be accompanied by an affidavit supporting any factual issues raised by the claim and points and authorities supporting any legal issues raised. (e) The claim of exemption, together with any supporting affidavit and points and authorities, shall be filed and served on the plaintiff not less than five court days before the date set for the hearing. (f) If the plaintiff desires to oppose the claim of exemption, the plaintiff shall file and serve on the defendant, not less than two days before the date set for the hearing, a notice of opposition to the claim of exemption, accompanied by an affidavit supporting any factual issues raised and points and authorities supporting any legal issues raised. If the plaintiff does not file and serve a notice of opposition as provided in this subdivision, no writ of attachment shall be issued as to the property claimed to be exempt. If all of the property described in the plaintiff’s application is claimed to be exempt and the plaintiff does not file and serve a notice of opposition as provided in this subdivision, no hearing shall be held and no right to attach order or writ of attachment shall be issued and any temporary protective order issued pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 486.010) immediately expires. (g) If the plaintiff files and serves a notice of opposition to the claim as provided in this section, the defendant has the burden of proving that the property is exempt from attachment.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.080. Section 484.080.

(a) At the time set for the hearing, the plaintiff shall be ready to proceed. If the plaintiff is not ready, or if he has failed to comply with Section 484.040, the court may either deny the application for the order or, for good cause shown, grant the plaintiff a continuance for a reasonable period. If such a continuance is granted, the effective period of any protective order issued pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 486.010) may be extended by the court for a period ending not more than 10 days after the new hearing date if the plaintiff shows a continuing need for such protective order. (b) The court may, in its discretion and for good cause shown, grant the defendant a continuance for a reasonable period to enable him to oppose the issuance of the right to attach order. If such a continuance is granted, the court shall extend the effective period of any protective order issued pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 486.010) for a period ending not more than 10 days after the new hearing date unless the defendant shows pursuant to Section 486.100 that the protective order should be modified or vacated.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.090. Section 484.090.

(a) At the hearing, the court shall consider the showing made by the parties appearing and shall issue a right to attach order, which shall state the amount to be secured by the attachment determined by the court in accordance with Section 483.015 or 483.020, if it finds all of the following: (1) The claim upon which the attachment is based is one upon which an attachment may be issued. (2) The plaintiff has established the probable validity of the claim upon which the attachment is based. (3) The attachment is not sought for a purpose other than the recovery on the claim upon which the attachment is based. (4) The amount to be secured by the attachment is greater than zero. (b) If, in addition to the findings required by subdivision (a), the court finds that the defendant has failed to prove that all the property sought to be attached is exempt from attachment, it shall order a writ of attachment to be issued upon the filing of an undertaking as provided by Sections 489.210 and 489.220. (c) If the court determines that property of the defendant is exempt from attachment, in whole or in part, the right to attach order shall describe the exempt property and prohibit attachment of the property. (d) The court’s determinations shall be made upon the basis of the pleadings and other papers in the record; but, upon good cause shown, the court may receive and consider at the hearing additional evidence, oral or documentary, and additional points and authorities, or it may continue the hearing for the production of the additional evidence or points and authorities.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.100. Section 484.100.

The court’s determinations under this chapter shall have no effect on the determination of any issues in the action other than issues relevant to proceedings under this chapter nor shall they affect the rights of the plaintiff or defendant in any other action arising out of the same claim of the plaintiff or defendant. The court’s determinations under this chapter shall not be given in evidence nor referred to at the trial of any such action.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 484.110. Section 484.110.

(a) Neither the failure of the defendant to oppose the issuance of a right to attach order under this chapter nor the defendant’s failure to rebut any evidence produced by the plaintiff in connection with proceedings under this chapter shall constitute a waiver of any defense to the plaintiff’s claim in the action or any other action or have any effect on the right of the defendant to produce or exclude evidence at the trial of any such action. (b) Neither the failure of the plaintiff to oppose the issuance of an order reducing the amount to be secured by the attachment under this chapter nor the plaintiff’s failure to rebut any evidence produced by the defendant in connection with proceedings under this chapter shall constitute a waiver of any defense to the defendant’s claim in the action or any other action or have any effect on the right of the plaintiff to produce or exclude evidence at the trial of any such action.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026