We start at the source
Rules on this site come from the California codes and from the agencies that apply them. Time limits come from the Code of Civil Procedure and the Government Code. Reporting and insurance rules come from the Vehicle Code and the DMV. Report requests come from the Irvine Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Court information comes from the Superior Court of California, County of Orange.
Where a reader needs to check something, we link the source in the sentence that uses it.
We write for the task
Each section answers one practical question in short sentences, with numbers written out where they matter: two years, six months, ten days. When we use an example to show how a rule works, we say it is an example. We do not publish verdicts, settlement amounts, rankings or promises about results.
The pages are general information about California rules. No lawyer or outside expert reviews them, and we do not say they do.
We keep it current
When a law or a process changes, we update the page and its date. California’s higher minimum insurance limits took effect on January 1, 2025, for example, and our insurance section reflects them. If we correct a mistake that changes what a reader should do, we note the change on the page.
See something wrong? The corrections page explains how to tell us.