Paid court and deposition work — on your terms
California Appearances sends you appearance assignments filtered to your counties and practice areas. Firms post the hearing; you see the offered rate and accept only what fits. It's built for attorneys who want per diem, freelance, or overflow work without chasing a public job board.
Why attorneys join
- Join free — no subscription, no minimum commitment
- Choose the appearances you want, skip the rest
- See the offered rate before you commit
- Get paid via Stripe after completed work
- Great for solos, small firms, and side / gig work
Assignment types
- Case management & status conferences
- Law & motion / argued hearings
- Ex parte applications
- Unlawful detainer calendars
- Deposition coverage (in-person & remote)
- Settlement conferences
- Probate & family law appearances
What California appearance attorneys typically earn
Offers vary by county, hearing type, and lead time. Use these as planning ranges — each request shows the exact attorney budget before you accept.
Routine court appearance
CMC, status, case management
Often ~$125–200+ flat
Law & motion
Argued calendars and contested hearings
Often ~$175–275+ flat
Deposition coverage
In-person or remote, hourly
Hourly tiers set by the hiring firm
Hiring-side pricing overview: appearance attorney pricing. Also see per diem attorney California and freelance attorney California.
How it works
- 1. Create your free profile — California Bar number, counties, practice areas, and payout setup.
- 2. Browse matching work — open assignments appear on your attorney dashboard for the counties you cover (email alerts coming soon).
- 3. Accept what you want — see your payout up front; first qualified attorney to accept gets it.
- 4. Appear and get paid — mark the appearance complete, leave a rating, and track payouts in Earnings.
Appearance attorney jobs by market
We're seeding coverage in California's highest-need markets first. Pick your area:
- Los Angeles appearance attorney jobs
- Sacramento appearance attorney jobs
- San Diego appearance attorney jobs
- Orange County appearance attorney jobs
- Riverside appearance attorney jobs
- San Bernardino appearance attorney jobs
- Bay Area appearance attorney jobs
- Fresno appearance attorney jobs
- Bakersfield appearance attorney jobs
Who this is for
- Solo and small-firm litigators filling calendar gaps
- Attorneys building a per diem / appearance practice
- Counsel near high-volume courthouses seeking steady assignments
- Experienced litigators available for depositions and law & motion
- Anyone wanting flexible, paid attorney side work in California
Need to hire coverage instead? See court appearance coverage.
Appearance attorney FAQ
- How do California appearance attorney jobs work on this platform?
- Hiring firms post a court appearance or deposition request. Qualified California-licensed attorneys in matching counties get notified, review the offered rate, and accept only the assignments they want. First qualified attorney to accept gets the job.
- Is it free to join as a freelance or per diem attorney?
- Yes. Creating an appearance attorney account is free. There is no subscription and no minimum commitment. You choose which assignments to accept.
- How much do appearance attorney assignments pay in California?
- Court appearances typically use flat fees that vary by county, hearing type, and lead time. Depositions are usually hourly. You see the offered rate before accepting. Exact offers appear on each request.
- When do appearance attorneys get paid?
- After you accept a matched assignment and complete payout setup through Stripe, the appearance fee is transferred according to the platform payout flow. Stripe also collects tax information for year-end 1099 reporting.
- Do I need an active California State Bar license?
- Yes. You must have an active California State Bar number in good standing. Your profile should list the counties and practice areas where you want notifications.
- Can I take remote appearance and deposition coverage?
- Yes. You can set separate counties for in-person and remote notifications, then accept remote court appearances or remote depositions that fit your schedule.
- Is this different from a public attorney job board?
- Yes. Hiring firms post by county, court, and hearing type. You browse open requests on your dashboard and accept what fits — you are not competing on a public posting board. Email alerts for matching work are coming soon.