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HomeCivil CodeDiv. 4Pt. 6Ch. 4Art. 2§ 9408 Contractor Claim Rights Declaration

§ 9408 Contractor Claim Rights Declaration

Civil Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 9408 Contractor Claim Rights Declaration

Key Takeaways

  • •If someone disagrees with a claim about payment for work done, they can go to court to figure out who is right.
  • •Either side can ask the court to decide who gets paid, but they must give the other side at least 5 days' notice before the hearing.
  • •The court must hold the hearing within 15 days unless there's a really good reason to wait longer.

Example

A builder finishes a project for a school, but the school says they won’t pay because the work wasn’t done right. The builder disagrees and files a claim.

The builder can take the school to court to decide who is right. The builder must tell the school at least 5 days before the court date. The court will hear the case within 15 days to decide if the builder gets paid.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 9408 Contractor Claim Rights Declaration

(a) If a counteraffidavit, together with proof of service, is served under Section 9406, either the direct contractor or the claimant may commence an action for a declaration of the rights of the parties. (b) After commencement of the action, either the direct contractor or the claimant may move the court for a determination of rights under the affidavit and counteraffidavit. The party making the motion shall give not less than five days’ notice of the hearing to the public entity and to the other party. (c) The notice of hearing shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 8100) of Title 1. Notwithstanding Section 8116, when notice of the hearing is made by mail, the notice is complete on the fifth day following deposit of the notice in the mail. (d) The court shall hear the motion within 15 days after the date of the motion, unless the court continues the hearing for good cause. (Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 697, Sec. 20. (SB 189) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative July 1, 2012, by Sec. 105 of Ch. 697 and by Section 8052.)

Last verified: January 21, 2026

Key Terms

counteraffidavitdirect contractorclaimantdeclaration of the rightsdetermination of rights

Related Statutes

  • § 8414 Lien Enforcement Deadlines
  • § 9400 Contractor Funds Release Grounds
  • § 8410 Lien Enforcement Notice Requirements
  • § 8412 Contractor Lien Filing Deadlines
  • § 9402 Contractor Fund Release Affidavit

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Civil Code. Section 9408.
View Official Source