To format pleading paper in California, use white 8½-by-11 letter-size paper, print in black or blue-black 12-point type in a font equivalent to Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier, set a one-inch left margin and a half-inch right margin, use 1.5 or double line spacing, number the lines consecutively down the left side of every page, follow the required first-page layout with your contact information on the upper left and a blank stamp area on the upper right, and put a footer with the document’s title at the bottom of every page. The rules live in California Rules of Court 2.100 through 2.119 and apply to any document you draft yourself for filing in a Superior Court.1Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.100 If a preprinted Judicial Council form covers your situation, use the form instead; pleading paper is for everything you create from scratch.
Paper Size and Quality
Physical filings go on 8½-by-11 letter paper, including exhibits and attachments. The paper must be white or unbleached, opaque, and unglazed, and weigh at least 20 pounds so ink doesn’t show through. Print on one side of each page only.2Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.102
Font Size, Style, and Color
Three separate rules govern the text itself. Body text must be at least 12 points.3Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.104 – Font Size and Printing The typeface must be “essentially equivalent” to Courier, Times New Roman, or Arial, which gives you some latitude as long as the font you pick reads similarly in spacing and legibility.4Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.105 – Font Style Ink color must be black or blue-black.5Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.106 – Font Color
One quirk worth knowing: converting a word-processing file to PDF can shift the displayed font size slightly. A clerk is not supposed to reject your filing solely because the PDF font is marginally off from 12 points, provided the source document complied.6Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.118 – Acceptance of Papers for Filing
Margins, Spacing, and Line Numbering
The left margin must be at least one inch from the edge of the page; the right margin at least half an inch.7Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.107 – Margins The generous left margin leaves room for the court’s binding.
Text is 1.5- or double-spaced. Three narrow exceptions allow single spacing: descriptions of real property, footnotes, and quotations.8Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.108 – Spacing and Numbering of Lines
Line numbering is the most recognizable feature of a California pleading. Every page carries numbered lines starting at 1, placed along the left margin and separated from the body text by a vertical space of at least one-fifth of an inch, or by a vertical line. You need at least three line numbers per vertical inch, which keeps the numbers aligned to the text no matter how you space it.8Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.108 – Spacing and Numbering of Lines
First Page Layout
The first page follows a fixed layout, and getting it wrong is one of the most common reasons clerks reject filings from self-represented parties.9Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.111 – Format of First Page The page divides into three zones.
The upper left, on lines 1 through 7 and left of center, holds your name, office or mailing address, telephone number, fax number, email address, and either your State Bar number (if you are an attorney) or a note that you are self-represented. Attorneys and self-represented parties alike include a fax number and email address if they have one, and doing so does not by itself mean you have agreed to accept electronic service in the case.
The upper right, on lines 1 through 7 and right of center, is reserved for the clerk’s filing stamp. Leave the first two inches of that area completely blank.
Below line 7 you place the full title of the court, then the case title listing the parties, then the case number, then the title of the specific document you’re filing, such as “Complaint for Damages” or “Response to Motion.”
Footer on Every Page
Every page except exhibits carries a footer in the bottom margin. It sits below the page number, separated from the body of the document by a horizontal printed line, and contains the title of the document or a short, clear abbreviation of it. The footer text must be at least 10 points. First-time users of a template often miss this, and a missing footer is grounds for the clerk to reject the filing.
Redacting Social Security and Financial Account Numbers
Before you file, redact two categories of personal identifiers from any document that will become part of the public court file: Social Security numbers and financial account numbers. Where either has to appear in the filing, show only the last four digits. The clerk will not check your documents for compliance; the responsibility is yours. If the full numbers need to be in the record, you can ask the court for permission to file a separate confidential reference list using Judicial Council form MC-120, which stays sealed while the public version shows only the redacted digits.10Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 1.201 – Protection of Privacy
Extra Rules for Electronic Filing
E-filing is available in most California courts and is mandatory for represented parties in many counties. Self-represented litigants can still file on paper, and any party may request an exemption from e-filing requirements.11Judicial Branch of California. California Supreme Court Adopts Amendments to E-Filing Rules When you file electronically, a few additional standards apply on top of the formatting rules above.
The document must be a text-searchable PDF, meaning the court’s systems can search the text inside it through optical character recognition. A non-searchable PDF is acceptable only when the document genuinely cannot be made searchable, such as a handwritten exhibit.12Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 8.74 – Format of Electronic Documents
No single electronically filed document may exceed 25 megabytes. Anything larger has to be split into multiple files of 25 megabytes or less.12Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 8.74 – Format of Electronic Documents
Scrub metadata before you file. Word-processing files carry hidden information such as tracked changes, comments, revision history, and author names, any of which can inadvertently reveal privileged material or strategy. In Microsoft Word, the “Inspect Document” feature (available since Office 2010) flags and removes this hidden data. Run the scrub first, then convert to PDF; converting first can lock the hidden data into the file.
What Happens If the Clerk Rejects Your Filing
Clerks have a duty to refuse documents that don’t comply with the formatting rules, so wrong margins, missing line numbers, a non-searchable PDF, or a missing footer can each cause a filing to be turned away at the counter or bounced back through the e-filing system.6Judicial Branch of California. California Rules of Court Rule 2.118 – Acceptance of Papers for Filing A few narrow exceptions exist: the clerk cannot reject a filing solely because it is handwritten, because the handwriting is a color other than black, or because a PDF conversion shifted the font size slightly.
Rejection means the document is not filed. If you were up against a deadline, that is a serious problem. For motions and other mid-case filings, a missed deadline can waive your right to be heard. For complaints and cross-complaints filed electronically, California law provides a limited safety net: the statute of limitations is tolled from the date the court received your rejected document through the date the rejection notice is sent, plus one additional day. The tolling applies only if you correct the formatting errors and resubmit, and you may not change anything in the document other than the errors that caused the rejection.13California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 1010.6
A judge can also strike all or part of any pleading not filed in conformity with a court rule, on the court’s own motion or on a motion by another party, at any time.14California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure 436 – Motion to Strike The formatting rules are enforced, and opposing counsel who spots violations can use them against you.