A filing can be rejected for reasons that have nothing to do with the law: the wrong caption, the wrong margins, a missing line number. This reference collects the formatting rules we check on every document.
The caption
Confirm the court name, the exact party names and the case number from the most recent filing, not from memory. Add the judge and department where the local rules require it, and keep the document title consistent with the notice of motion.
Pleading paper and spacing
- Line-numbered pleading paper where the court requires it, with text aligned to the numbers.
- Double spacing in the body, single spacing in block quotes and footnotes, and a consistent font size.
- Page limits counted the way the court counts them, including or excluding tables as the rule says.
Certificate of service
State the method, the date, the documents served and the recipients. For electronic service, name the system and the email addresses on file.
Every document we draft is checked against this list before release. Tell us the court when you request a quote and we will apply its rules from the first draft.