Cal. Civ. Code § 250.307

Any court of record or court not of record
having jurisdiction in civil actions at law may entertain an action to defalcate by
a tenant against a landlord where the landlord has distrained for arrears of rent,
to compel the landlord to set-off any account which the tenant may have against the
landlord. No such court shall entertain any such action where the rent or set-off
claimed is in excess of its civil jurisdiction. Proceedings in such actions shall
be the same as in actions of assumpsit.
The court shall determine the amount of rent in arrears and the amount of the set-off,
if any, and enter judgment in favor of the proper party for the balance due.
If such judgment is in favor of the landlord he may, in lieu of issuing execution
thereon, proceed with his distress for the amount of such judgment. If the landlord
shall sell more personal property than necessary to satisfy such judgment and costs
and fail to pay the overplus to the tenant, he shall be liable in trespass to double
the amount of the sum so detained, together with the costs of suit. If the landlord
shall proceed to sell any personal property after notice of any such proceeding to
defalcate and before judgment in his favor thereon, he shall be liable in trespass
to double the amount by which the sum realized from such sale exceeds the sum to which
he shall be found to be entitled by the final judgment in the defalcation proceeding,
together with the costs of suit in the defalcation proceeding, if such judgment be
in his favor.
If the landlord proceeds with the distress, he shall satisfy the judgment to the extent
of the amount realized on the sale, less the costs of the distress, or on his failure
to do so, the tenant may proceed by rule to have such satisfaction entered.