This California legal pleading form has 28 numbered lines, 1-inch left and 1/2-inch right margins.

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The California Rules of Court set for the form and formatting requirements for pleadings, motions, and other papers filed in California courts. Keep note of the following rules, current as of November 2019:

When papers are not filed electronically, only one side of each page may be used. Rule 2.102.

All papers filed must be 81/2 by 11 inches. All papers not filed electronically must be on opaque, unglazed paper, white or unbleached, of standard quality not less than 20-pound weight. Rule 2.103.

Unless otherwise specified in the rules, all papers filed must be prepared using a font size not smaller than 12 points. All papers not filed electronically must be printed or typewritten or be prepared by a photocopying or other duplication process that will produce clear and permanent copies equally as legible as printing. Rule 2.104.

The font style must be essentially equivalent to Courier, Times New Roman, or Arial. Rule 2.105.

The font color must be black or blue-black. Rule 2.106.

The left margin of each page must be at least one inch from the left edge and the right margin at least 1/2 inch from the right edge. Rule 2.107.

The spacing and numbering of lines on a page must be as follows:

(1)  The lines on each page must be one and one-half spaced or double-spaced and numbered consecutively.

(2)  Descriptions of real property may be single-spaced.

(3)  Footnotes, quotations, and printed forms of corporate surety bonds and undertakings may be single-spaced and have unnumbered lines if they comply generally with the space requirements of rule 2.111.

(4)  Line numbers must be placed at the left margin and separated from the text by a vertical column of space at least 1/5 inch wide or a single or double vertical line. Each line number must be aligned with a line of type, or the line numbers must be evenly spaced vertically on the page. Line numbers must be consecutively numbered, beginning with the number 1 on each page. There must be at least three line numbers for every vertical inch on the page. Rule 2.108.

Each page must be numbered consecutively at the bottom unless a rule provides otherwise for a particular type of document. The page numbering must begin with the first page and use only Arabic numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3). The page number may be suppressed and need not appear on the first page. Rule 2.109.

Rule 2.111 contains specific requirements for the formatting of the first page:

The first page of each paper must be in the following form:

(1)  In the space commencing 1 inch from the top of the page with line 1, to the left of the center of the page, the name, office address or, if none, residence address or mailing address (if different), telephone number, fax number and e-mail address, and State Bar membership number of the attorney for the party in whose behalf the paper is presented, or of the party if he or she is appearing in person. The inclusion of a fax number or e-mail address on any document does not constitute consent to service by fax or e-mail unless otherwise provided by law.

(2)  In the first 2 inches of space between lines 1 and 7 to the right of the center of the page, a blank space for the use of the clerk.

(3)  On line 8, at or below 3 1/3 inches from the top of the page, the title of the court.

(4)  Below the title of the court, in the space to the left of the center of the page, the title of the case. In the title of the case on each initial complaint or cross-complaint, the name of each party must commence on a separate line beginning at the left margin of the page. On any subsequent pleading or paper, it is sufficient to provide a short title of the case (1) stating the name of the first party on each side, with appropriate indication of other parties, and (2) stating that a cross-action or cross-actions are involved (e.g., “and Related Cross-action”), if applicable.

(5)  To the right of and opposite the title, the number of the case.

(6)  Below the number of the case, the nature of the paper and, on all complaints and petitions, the character of the action or proceeding. In a case having multiple parties, any answer, response, or opposition must specifically identify the complaining, propounding, or moving party and the complaint, motion, or other matter being answered or opposed.

(7)  Below the nature of the paper or the character of the action or proceeding, the name of the judge and department, if any, to which the case is assigned.

(8)  Below the nature of the paper or the character of the action or proceeding, the word “Referee:” followed by the name of the referee, on any paper filed in a case pending before a referee appointed under Code of Civil Procedure section 638 or 639.

(9)  On the complaint, petition, or application filed in a limited civil case, below the character of the action or proceeding, the amount demanded in the complaint, petition, or application, stated as follows: “Amount demanded exceeds $10,000” or “Amount demanded does not exceed $10,000,” as required by Government Code section 70613.

(10)  In the caption of every pleading and every other paper filed in a limited civil case, the words “Limited Civil Case,” as required by Code of Civil Procedure section 422.30(b).

(11)  If a case is reclassified by an amended complaint, cross-complaint, amended cross-complaint, or other pleading under Code of Civil Procedure section 403.020 or 403.030, the caption must indicate that the action or proceeding is reclassified by this pleading. If a case is reclassified by stipulation under Code of Civil Procedure section 403.050, the title of the stipulation must state that the action or proceeding is reclassified by this stipulation. The caption or title must state that the case is a limited civil case reclassified as an unlimited civil case, or an unlimited civil case reclassified as a limited civil case, or other words to that effect.

This blank legal pleading form has 26 numbered lines, 1-inch left and right margins. The numbered lines appear automatically in the left margin.

This form is useful for legal documents or other types of documents in which you need to reference specific sections.

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