If a landlord wishes to remove your from your rental property, the landlord must initiate an unlawful detainer action against you. According to California Civil Code 789.3, a landlord is prohibited from forcibly evicting you on his own, and will face harsh penalties, including the assessment of damages in the form of the actual cost to you in addition to $100 per day. About one month after the unlawful detainer action is filed against you, the sheriff will lock you out of your property. However, there are several steps that you can take to delay and stop the eviction procedure. First, you can discuss preventing the eviction with your landlord, like setting up a payment plan to catch up on past due rent. Your landlord is free to stop the eviction action at any time. If you merely wish to delay the eviction, you can file an answer to the unlawful detainer action. An answer is a response to the unlawful detainer complaint and is an opportunity for you to admit or deny the allegations. An answer is the first step in preparing your case for trial with the landlord. This may be a good option for you if you have been discriminated against or the residence fails to meet basic standards of habitability. Other than these options there is very little that you can do to stop an eviction.