To comply with the California Rules of Court pleading format requirements, file on 8½-by-11-inch white paper with a one-inch left margin and a half-inch right margin, use 12-point Times New Roman, Courier, or Arial in black or blue-black, double- or one-and-a-half-space the text, number every line down the left side, and build the first page with your contact block starting at line 1 and the court name at line 8. The specifics live mostly in Rules 2.103 through 2.114, with Rule 2.111 controlling the first-page caption and Rule 1.201 adding a redaction duty that applies to every filing.
Paper, Font, and Color
Documents must be on paper measuring 8½ by 11 inches. Paper filings must use opaque, unglazed, white or unbleached stock weighing at least 20 pounds.1Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.103 – Size, Quality, and Color of Papers Electronic filings still have to meet the page-size rule, but obviously not the paper-stock rule.
Text must be at least 12 points and either printed, typewritten, or produced by a duplication process that is clear, permanent, and equally legible as printing. Handwritten documents are not accepted unless the court specifically allows them.2Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.104 – Font Size; Printing The typeface itself must be essentially equivalent to Courier, Times New Roman, or Arial.3Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.105 – Font Style Decorative, script, or condensed fonts will not pass. Font color must be black or blue-black.4Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.106 – Font Color
Margins and the First-Page Layout
The left margin must be at least one inch and the right margin at least one-half inch.5Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.107 – Margins The two sides are not equal; the wider left margin exists so pages can be hole-punched for court binders. Content on the first page begins one inch from the top, starting on line 1.6Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.111 – Format of First Page
Rule 2.111 lays out exactly what goes where on the first page. In the upper-left portion, starting at line 1, place the attorney’s or self-represented party’s name, office address, telephone number, fax number, email address, and State Bar number. Listing a fax number or email on the document does not by itself count as consent to be served by fax or email.
The court’s name goes on line 8, at or below 3⅓ inches from the top. Below the court name, the case title sits on the left and the case number and nature of the document sit on the right.6Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.111 – Format of First Page On an initial complaint or cross-complaint, each party’s name begins on its own line at the left margin. On later filings, a short title is enough: the first party on each side, with “et al.” if there are more.
For any answer, response, or opposition in a case with multiple parties, the document must specifically identify which party’s complaint, motion, or filing is being answered.
Line Spacing and Line Numbering
Text must be one-and-a-half-spaced or double-spaced. Footnotes, quotations, and descriptions of real property may be single-spaced, but those portions still have to comply with the spacing framework in Rule 2.111.7Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.108 – Spacing and Numbering of Lines
Every page carries consecutively numbered lines in the left margin, restarting at 1 on each new page. There must be at least three line numbers per vertical inch, which comes out to roughly 28 numbered lines on a standard page. The line numbers must be separated from the body text by a column of blank space at least one-fifth of an inch wide, or by a single or double vertical line.7Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.108 – Spacing and Numbering of Lines Standard word processors do not produce numbered pleading paper by default. If you are preparing filings yourself, use a pleading-paper template or add-on; building this by hand almost never comes out right.
Signatures
California Code of Civil Procedure section 128.7 requires every pleading, petition, and written motion to be signed by at least one attorney of record, or by the party if unrepresented. The signature certifies the filing is not for an improper purpose, the legal arguments have merit, and the factual allegations have evidentiary support. Filing without a proper signature, or with a fraudulent one, can draw monetary sanctions.
The attorney’s identifying information goes on the first page in the Rule 2.111 contact block, not next to the signature line at the end.6Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.111 – Format of First Page
For electronic filings, Rule 2.257 treats any electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to a document and executed with the intent to sign as an electronic signature. For documents that do not require signing under penalty of perjury, the document is deemed signed by the person who e-filed it. Declarations and verifications signed under penalty of perjury have stricter rules, and if the declarant is not the person doing the filing, the filer must keep the original signed document available for inspection on request.8Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.257 – Requirements for Signatures on Documents Some courts still require wet signatures on certain originals, so check local rules before relying on a “/s/” block for everything.
Exhibits and Redactions
Paper exhibits may be fastened to standard 8½-by-11 pages. If reproduced by a copying process, they must be as legible and permanent as printed material. Electronically filed exhibits must meet the requirements of Rule 2.256(b).9Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.114 – Exhibits Many local rules add tab and index requirements, especially in law-and-motion matters and at trial, so always check the local rules for your courthouse. Exhibit formatting is one area where local requirements vary a lot.
Rule 1.201 requires parties and attorneys to redact certain sensitive information from everything in the court’s public file, on paper or electronic, in every filing and not just the initial complaint.10Judicial Branch of California. Rule 1.201 – Protection of Privacy Two categories must always be reduced to their last four digits:
- Social Security numbers.
- Financial account numbers.
Failing to redact without good cause can bring sanctions under Rule 2.30, payable to the court or to the person whose information was exposed.11Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.30 – Sanctions for Rules Violations in Civil Cases This mistake is easy to make when attaching bank statements, tax records, or medical bills. Review every page of every exhibit before filing.
The Civil Case Cover Sheet
The first document filed in a civil action must come with a Civil Case Cover Sheet (Judicial Council Form CM-010).12Judicial Branch of California. Rule 3.220 – Case Cover Sheet The requirement does not apply to small claims cases or cases filed under the Probate Code, Family Code, or Welfare and Institutions Code. If you mark the case as complex or as a collections case on the sheet, you must serve a copy with the complaint; otherwise service of the cover sheet is not required. A missing or defective cover sheet will not block the clerk from filing your complaint, but it can draw Rule 2.30 sanctions.
Filing the Document
Electronic filing is mandatory in many counties and for many case types; whether it is required or optional depends on your county and case category. The e-filing rules begin at Rule 2.250, which directs the rules to be read to authorize electronic filing and service to the extent feasible.13Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.250 – Construction and Definitions Self-represented litigants are often exempt from mandatory e-filing but may still e-file where the court’s system permits.
Electronically filed documents must be in PDF. Courts encourage adding bookmarks with links to each exhibit, heading, and major component such as the table of contents, declarations, and proof of service, with exhibit bookmarks identifying the number or letter and a brief description. Verify your court’s technical requirements before submitting.
For paper filing, documents go to the clerk’s office at the appropriate courthouse, and some courts require extra copies for the judge or for court records.14Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.259 – Actions by Court on Receipt of Electronic Filing Motions and other filings generally must be served on all opposing counsel or unrepresented parties.
If you cannot afford the filing fee, you can apply for a fee waiver using the Judicial Council application form. The clerk must accept the application even if it is incomplete and cannot refuse to file your pleading just because the fee has not been paid.15California Legislative Information. California Government Code 68634
What Happens If You Get It Wrong
Rule 2.30 gives the court authority to impose monetary sanctions for failing to comply with the formatting and procedural rules above. It covers civil cases, unlawful detainer actions, probate proceedings, appellate division civil proceedings, and small claims.11Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.30 – Sanctions for Rules Violations in Civil Cases
Sanctions require written notice and an opportunity to be heard, either on a motion by the other side or on the court’s own order to show cause. The motion or order must identify the rule violated and describe the conduct. On top of the sanction itself, the court can order the violating party to pay the other side’s reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, tied to the sanctions motion.
One protection matters: if the formatting violation is the attorney’s fault rather than the client’s, the sanction falls on the attorney and cannot adversely affect the client’s case. Repeated non-compliance still wastes the court’s time, and judges remember who makes their job harder.