This skill should be used when the user asks to "draft a pleading", "format a California court document", "apply California Rules of Court", "CRC 2.100", "CRC 2.111", "build a caption", "create a declaration", "format a motion", "notice of motion", "proposed order", or any similar request for statewide California document formatting. Covers California Rules of Court (CRC) 2.100-2.119 page-format requirements (paper size, margins, font, line spacing, line numbers, page numbers, footers, two-hole punch, recyclable paper), CRC 2.111 caption requirements (attorney info block, court name, party block, case number, document title), CRC 2.112 document titles, numbered lines, declaration verification under Code of Civil Procedure section 2015.5, exhibit attachment under CRC 3.1110(f), and citation format per the California Style Manual (6th edition). Also covers e-filing basics through the California Courts eCourt / Odyssey portal and the statewide TylerConnect system. Trigger phrases: "format a California pleading",
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This skill should be used when the user asks to "draft a pleading", "format a California court document", "apply California Rules of Court", "CRC 2.100", "CRC 2.111", "build a caption", "create a declaration", "format a motion", "notice of motion", "proposed order", or any similar request for statewide California document formatting. Covers California Rules of Court (CRC) 2.100-2.119 page-format requirements (paper size, margins, font, line spacing, line numbers, page numbers, footers, two-hole punch, recyclable paper), CRC 2.111 caption requirements (attorney info block, court name, party block, case number, document title), CRC 2.112 document titles, numbered lines, declaration verification under Code of Civil Procedure section 2015.5, exhibit attachment under CRC 3.1110(f), and citation format per the California Style Manual (6th edition). Also covers e-filing basics through the California Courts eCourt / Odyssey portal and the statewide TylerConnect system. Trigger phrases: "format a California pleading", "California caption format", "declaration for California court", "line numbers on pleading paper", "notice of motion California", "two-hole punch California", "CRC 2.100 format", "California Rules of Court formatting", "California Style Manual citation".
Use these rules whenever drafting a paper to be filed in a
California superior court. They derive from the California Rules
of Court (CRC), rules 2.100-2.119 (Form and Format of Papers)
and statewide drafting conventions used by California superior
courts.
California has a unified trial court system — all civil matters,
regardless of amount in controversy, file in Superior Court of
the relevant county (Cal. Const., art. VI, § 10; Code Civ. Proc.,
§§ 85-86). Small claims (≤ $10,000 for individuals, ≤ $5,000 for
businesses) are a sub-procedure within the superior court (Code
Civ. Proc., § 116.220). Unlimited civil jurisdiction begins at
$25,000; cases at or below $35,000 may be subject to judicial
arbitration (Code Civ. Proc., § 1141.11 et seq.).
NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Generated content is a drafting aid;
verify against current California Rules of Court, applicable
Code of Civil Procedure sections, and the local rules of the
specific superior court before filing.
CRC 2.100-2.119 format requirements (mandatory)
Item
Rule
Requirement
Paper size
CRC 2.102
US Letter, 8½ × 11 inches
Sides
CRC 2.102
Single-sided only
Color
CRC 2.103
White paper; black ink only
Recycled paper
CRC 2.103
Must use recycled paper with a recycled-content notice, or state compliance on the first page (in practice, most courts accept plain white paper without a printed notice)
Ink
CRC 2.103
Black ink; no colored text or highlighting in the body
Hole punch
CRC 2.119
Two holes at the top, centered (standard two-hole punch, 2¾" apart)
Top margin, page 1
CRC 2.106
At least 2.5 inches — space for the attorney/party info block
All other margins
CRC 2.106
At least 1 inch on all sides
Font / type
CRC 2.104–2.105
12-point type; fonts "essentially equivalent to" Courier, Times New Roman, or Arial; no condensed type
Line spacing
CRC 2.108(a)
Body: 1.5 or double-spaced; single-spacing allowed for block quotations, footnotes, and headings
Line numbers
CRC 2.108(b)
Consecutively numbered lines on the left margin, one number per line, printed in the same font as the body; 28 lines per page is conventional for double-spaced, 33 for 1.5-spaced
Page numbers
CRC 2.109
Bottom of every page, centered or right-aligned
Footer
CRC 2.110
Short title of the document + case number + page number on every page
Title block
CRC 2.111
Attorney / party info in upper-left within 2.5 inches from top; caption block starts at 2.5-inch mark
Two-hole punch
CRC 2.119
At top, before filing
When producing a .docx programmatically for conversion to PDF
and upload to an eCourt filing portal, set the page-1 top margin
to 2.5 inches and subsequent pages to 1 inch. Use a section break
between page 1 and page 2 to implement the different top margins.
Do not use colored highlighting or colored text anywhere in
the pleading body.
Default typography
Font: Times New Roman 12 pt (Courier 12 pt or Arial 12 pt
are also accepted under CRC 2.105)
Line spacing: double-spaced or 1.5-spaced for body text;
single-spaced for block quotations, headings, signature blocks,
and tables
Line numbers: printed on the left margin, consecutively
numbered, same font as body (typically 10-pt or 12-pt); 28 lines
per page for double-spacing is the California standard (derived
from the Judicial Council pleading paper standard)
Paragraph style: no hanging indent required; paragraphs may
be numbered or not, but declarations typically use numbered
paragraphs for ease of reference
Bold lead-ins for labeled sections: **Background.** at the
start of a paragraph, then regular text
Required footer (CRC 2.110 — mandatory on every page)
Every generated document MUST carry a running footer on every page:
Left or centered: short title of the document (e.g.,
"PLAINTIFF'S MOTION TO COMPEL") — keep to a single line
Right: page number (e.g., "Page 3 of 10") using Word's
PAGE and NUMPAGES fields — never a static number
Case number: CRC 2.110 requires the case number in the
footer; common practice is "Case No. [NNNNNN]" on the same line
as the title (or on a second footer line)
Font: 10 pt Times New Roman
Example footer: DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO COMPEL — Case No. 24STCV12345 Page 1 of 8
The footer runs on every page, from page 1 through the last
exhibit page. Do not suppress it on page 1.
See references/docx-generation.md for the exact docx-js recipe.
Attorney / party info block (CRC 2.111)
California's caption format uses a one-column layout in which
the attorney/party info block sits in the upper left, the court
name and county are centered below, and the party block plus case
info sit underneath in a right-)-separated two-column structure:
[Attorney / Party info block — lines 1-10, upper left]
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
[PARTY A], )
) Case No. [NNNNNN]
Plaintiff, )
) NOTICE OF MOTION AND
vs. ) MOTION TO COMPEL
) FURTHER RESPONSES TO
[PARTY B], ) SPECIAL
) INTERROGATORIES;
Defendant. ) MEMORANDUM OF POINTS
) AND AUTHORITIES
)
) Date: [Date]
) Time: [Time]
) Dept.: [Dept.]
) Judge: Hon. [Name]
Attorney/party info block (CRC 2.111(a)) — upper-left, within
the top 2.5 inches of page 1:
[ATTORNEY NAME / PARTY NAME, pro se], State Bar No. ______
[Firm name, if applicable]
[Street Address]
[City, CA ZIP]
Telephone: (___) ___-____
Fax: (___) ___-____
Email: ___________@_____________
Attorney for [Plaintiff / Defendant]: [CLIENT NAME]
Court name line (CRC 2.111(b)):
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF [COUNTY NAME]
Both lines centered and in ALL CAPS or in title case depending on
local practice; most California courts use all-caps for the court
name line.
Party block: parties listed in normal case (not all-caps);
role (Plaintiff, Defendant, etc.) indented below the party name.
Each line of the party block ends with a closing parenthesis )
that forms the right-side rule of the caption. The case number
and document title are placed to the right of this )-chain.
Use "vs." (with period) between parties — California style.
Some California courts use "v." but "vs." is conventional and
accepted.
CRC 2.112 — Document titles
The document title must:
Appear at or near the top of page 1, typically just below the
caption box
State the type of document clearly (Motion, Declaration,
Opposition, Reply, Notice of Motion, Proposed Order, etc.)
For motions: identify the relief sought and the legal basis
(e.g., "MOTION TO COMPEL FURTHER RESPONSES TO FORM
INTERROGATORIES, SET ONE; MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES")
For hearings: include date, time, and department in the caption
right column (see above)
Line numbering (CRC 2.108(b))
MANDATORY: California pleadings must carry consecutively
numbered lines on the left margin. CRC 2.108(b) lays out the
substantive requirements:
Each line on each page numbered consecutively
Beginning with the number 1 on each page
Lines spaced 1/4-inch (1.5-spaced) or 1/3-inch (double-
spaced) apart, matching the body line spacing
Pre-numbered pleading paper (Judicial Council 28-line paper)
is widely used by paper filers
For programmatically generated .docx documents, apply line
numbering through the section's lineNumbers property
(countBy: 1, restart: LineNumberRestartFormat.NEW_PAGE).
The numbers render in the left margin and do not shift the
text margin. When using the two-section pattern (page 1 at
2.5-inch top margin; pages 2+ at 1-inch top margin), apply
the lineNumbers property to BOTH sections so numbering
continues across the section break.
Do not pass a start value — an explicit start: 1 renders
off by one in LibreOffice. See references/docx-generation.md
for the full recipe.
Margin rule (double vertical line)
Draw a double vertical rule — two thin parallel lines (~0.75 pt
each, with a ~7 pt gap between them) — down the left margin
between the line numbers and the body text. It is the standard
companion to the line-numbered pleading paper that CRC
2.108(b) requires, and matches the pre-printed Judicial Council pleading
paper that paper filers use. Apply it by default to every
line-numbered pleading; exhibits and attachments are exempt.
Implement it as two independent full-height line shapes anchored
in the page header, so they repeat on every page — not as an
OOXML double page border, whose style couples the inter-line
gap to the line weight (widening the gap thickens both lines into
heavy bars). When using the two-section pattern (page 1 at a
larger top margin; pages 2+ at 1 inch), the patch loops over both
sections so the rule repeats across the section break. See
references/docx-generation.md for the exact recipe.
CRC 2.119 — Two-hole punch
Before filing any paper document, punch two holes at the top of
the document, centered, 2¾ inches apart (standard two-hole
punch). For e-filed documents, the physical punch requirement
does not apply — the PDF is filed digitally. If the court
requests a courtesy copy, the courtesy copy must be punched.
California declarations are signed under penalty of perjury
under Code of Civil Procedure section 2015.5, which provides
the statutory equivalent to notarization for most court
declarations. The closing clause must state:
"I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the
State of California that the foregoing is true and correct."
"Executed on [date], at [city], California."
Note the required elements:
Penalty of perjury
"Under the laws of the State of California"
Date of execution
Place of execution (city, California)
For declarations signed outside California, add the out-of-state
location and confirm the form meets Code Civ. Proc., § 2015.5
requirements.
Caption structure (CRC 2.111) — detailed
See references/caption-format.md for the full layout with
docx-js code. Key points:
Attorney block: upper-left, within 2.5 inches, 10-12 lines
Court name: centered, bold, all-caps or title case
Party block: left-justified; each line ends with )
Case number and document title: right of the ) chain
Hearing info (date, time, dept., judge): in the right column
below the document title, for noticed motions
Use "vs." between parties; some courts accept "v."
Required body elements
Every declaration needs:
Opening identification: "I, [Name], am the [role, e.g.,
Defendant, Declarant] in the above-captioned action. I have
personal knowledge of the matters stated herein and, if called
as a witness, could and would testify competently thereto."
Numbered paragraphs (optional but strongly recommended)
Perjury verification (Code Civ. Proc., § 2015.5):
"I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the
State of California that the foregoing is true and correct."
Date and place of execution: "Executed on [date], at
[city], California."
Motions and memoranda do not need a perjury clause but need:
A signature block
A Proof of Service (CRC 3.1300(c); Code Civ. Proc.,
§ 1013a) if served with the filing — typically a POS-030
form or a similar declaration of service
Exhibits (CRC 3.1110(f))
California practice uses lettered exhibits (Exhibit A, B, C,
etc.) in most courts. Some courts and practitioners use numbered
exhibits; confirm with local rules or practice in the specific
department.
CRC 3.1110(f) governs exhibit attachment: each exhibit must have
a tab protruding from the right side of the pages for ease of
reference. For e-filed PDFs, bookmarks serve as the functional
equivalent of physical tabs.
See references/exhibit-handling.md for the full protocol.
The four document templates
See the references/templates/ directory for complete scaffolds:
declaration.md — declaration with numbered paragraphs and
exhibits, Code Civ. Proc., § 2015.5 verification
motion-with-memo.md — notice of motion, memorandum of points
and authorities, and proposed order
notice-of-motion.md — standalone Notice of Motion under Code
Civ. Proc., § 1010
proposed-order.md — findings and order for judge signature
Each template includes the caption, body skeleton, signature
block, and (for declarations) exhibit list scaffolding.
Citation format (California Style Manual, 6th ed.)
Follow the California Style Manual (Cal. Style Manual) published
by the Judicial Council. Common forms:
California Supreme Court: Burnham v. Superior Court (1990) 495 U.S. 604; for California cases: Serrano v. Priest (1971) 5 Cal.3d 584
California Court of Appeal: Vons Companies, Inc. v. Seabest Foods, Inc. (1996) 14 Cal.4th 434
Do NOT include parallel cites (unlike Bluebook) unless citing
a very old case where the official reporter is the primary cite
Italicize case names; do not italicize "Id." or "Ibid."
"Id." for the immediately preceding cite (no signal needed);
"Ibid." is rarely used in California practice
Abbreviate "§" (not "sec.") with a space before the number;
use "§§" for multiple sections
"Ante" and "post" used for internal cross-references in
appellate briefs (not common in trial court practice)
Producing documents programmatically
For .docx generation, follow references/docx-generation.md.
Key California-specific points:
Page-1 top margin: 2.5 inches (CRC 2.110 attorney/party info
block)
Subsequent pages: 1 inch top margin — requires a Word section
break between page 1 and page 2
Line numbering: required under CRC 2.108(b); apply via the
section's lineNumbers property (countBy: 1, restart: LineNumberRestartFormat.NEW_PAGE) on BOTH sections of the
two-section pattern. Do not pass start: 1 explicitly — it
renders off by one in LibreOffice.
Footer: CRC 2.110 footer on every page including page 1
For format validation, use the bundled
plugins/ca-court-docs/scripts/format-check.py on a generated
.docx.
eFiling — California eCourt and TylerConnect
Most California superior courts now accept (or require) electronic
filing. Two main platforms:
Odyssey eFileCA (Tyler Technologies): Used by Los Angeles
Superior Court, Sacramento Superior Court, and many others.
Portal: https://www.efileca.com (redirects to the Tyler portal)
Accepted format: PDF only for filed documents (the .docx is
the working copy)
File size limits vary by court (typically 10-25 MB per document)
Document codes are selected from a dropdown in the portal —
match the CRC 2.112 document title type
For self-represented litigants: check whether the court
requires mandatory eFiling for represented parties and whether
pro se filers may still paper-file (rules vary by county)
Compose with court-specific skills
This skill is always layered with:
ca-lasc — if the case is in Los Angeles Superior Court
ca-sfsc — if the case is in San Francisco Superior Court
ca-county-courts — for any other county
ca-pro-se — if the litigant is self-represented
The court-specific skill adds local rule variations, motion
reservation protocols, tentative-ruling practice, and venue-
specific filing quirks.
References
references/crc-2-100-full-text.md — concise summary of CRC
2.100-2.119 for quick citation
references/caption-format.md — caption structure with full
docx-js example
references/exhibit-handling.md — exhibit tabs, CRC 3.1110(f),
and pagination
references/docx-generation.md — docx npm library patterns
for California pleadings with line numbering
references/templates/ — the four document templates
NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Generated content is a drafting aid; verify
against current rules and case law before filing.
