Legal Help Center Templates & Packets

The templates and packets on this page have been developed for people without lawyers by the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC); the JDC templates are organized into packets that include instructions.

• The Legal Help Centers have available many additional templates that are not posted here. You are encouraged to visit the Legal Help Centers for legal advice, for assistance with templates and to obtain additional templates.
• A selection of official court forms often used by people without lawyers is at the bottom of this page. To view all official court forms used in civil cases of all kinds, visit the Civil Forms page.
• Official court forms for prisoners are listed on the Forms for Prisoners page.
• The Court’s Pro Se Handbook provides an overview of procedures in this federal court and provides some context for understanding how and when the templates on this page are used: view Pro Se Handbook.

Legal Help Center Templates & Packets

	Answer - ADA (.pdf, 247 KB)   (to respond to a lawsuit involving the denial of access to a property under the Americans with Disabilities Act)
	Answer (Packet) (.pdf, 326 KB) (Respond to a lawsuit)
	Bankruptcy Appeal Designation of Record & Statement of Issues (.pdf, 238 KB)
	Case Management Statement (Packet) (.pdf, 327 KB) (must be submitted before you attend your Case Management Conference)
	Discovery - Blank Declaration (Template) (.pdf, 256 KB)
	Discovery - Initial Disclosures (Certificate of Service) (.pdf, 136 KB)  (Verify service of initial disclosures)
	Discovery - Initial Disclosures (Instructions) (.pdf, 179 KB)  (Instructions to complete the initial disclosures template)
	Discovery - Initial Disclosures (Template) (.pdf, 179 KB)  (Exchange initial information with other parties in the lawsuit)
	Discovery - Interrogatory (Packet) (.pdf, 249 KB) (Request answers from another party to questions regarding the lawsuit)
	Discovery - Request for Admissions (Packet) (.pdf, 263 KB) (Request the other side admit certain facts in the lawsuit)
	Discovery - Request for Documents (Packet) (.pdf, 225 KB) (Request documents and other things from parties in the lawsuit)
	General Complaint (Instructions) (.pdf, 234 KB) (Guidance to complete the General Complaint Template)
	General Complaint (Template) (.pdf, 235 KB) (Document used to start a lawsuit)
	Legal Research Guide for Pro Se Litigants (.pdf, 504 KB)
	Magistrate Judge Consent/Declination Form (.pdf, 571 KB) Form to consent to or decline the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge. [Word]
	Motion - Change CMC Hearing Date (Packet) (.pdf, 310 KB)  (Request the court to change the date of your Case Management Conference)
	Motion - Change Filing Deadline (Instructions) (.pdf, 394 KB) (Instructions to file a request to change the filing deadline)
	Motion - Change Filing Deadline (Template) (.pdf, 394 KB)  (if you want to ask the court to change the date your paperwork is due)
	Motion - Change Hearing Date (Packet) (.pdf, 327 KB)  (Request the court to change a hearing date)
	Motion - Extension Under LR 7-3 (Packet) (.docx, 55 KB) (Instructions and template to file for an extension of filing deadlines)
	Motion - Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (Certificate of Service) (.pdf, 153 KB) (Verify service of documents)
	Motion - Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (Instructions) (.pdf, 190 KB) (Instructions to oppose a motion to dismiss)
	Motion - Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (Template) (.pdf, 163 KB) (Oppose another party's motion, for example a motion to dismiss your case)
	Motion - Reply Brief (Packet) (.pdf, 253 KB) (After the other side opposed your motion, use this form to further support of your motion)
	Motion - Respond to Court's Order to Show Cause (Packet) (.pdf, 204 KB) (Respond if the Court issues an Order to Show Cause)
	Non-Pleadings (Certificate of Service - Not for Complaints) (.pdf, 159 KB) (To verify service of documents other than complaints)
	Notice - Change of Contact Information (Packet) (.pdf, 214 KB)  (Inform the court about a change in your address, phone number or email)
	ProSe Pleading (Template) (.pdf, 30 KB)
	Settlement Conference Brief (.pdf, 879 KB) (use this form to submit a brief before your settlement conference)
	Stipulation and Proposed Order (Template) (.pdf, 151 KB)
	Voluntary Dismissal (Packet) (.pdf, 236 KB) (To voluntarily dismiss your case or a defendant if you are the plaintiff)

Official Court Forms

	Bill of Costs (.docx, 584 KB)
	Civil Cover Sheet (.pdf, 1 MB) — Civil Cover Sheet effective December 23, 2024. View U.S. Courts descriptions of all NOS Codes (.pdf).
	Magistrate Judge Consent/Declination Form (.pdf, 571 KB) Form to consent to or decline the jurisdiction of a magistrate judge. [Word]
	Notice of Appeal (.pdf, 735 KB) — Also please download: Instructions for 9th Circuit Form 6 (attached as page 2 to Notice of Appeal).
	AO 398 Notice of a Lawsuit and Request to Waive Service of a Summons (.pdf, 262 KB)
	AO 399 Waiver of Service of Summons (.pdf, 268 KB)
	AO 440 Summons in a Civil Action (.pdf, 25 KB)
	Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (non prisoner case only) (.pdf, 112 KB)
	Employment Discrimination Complaint Interactive (.pdf, 48 KB)
	Social Security Review (.pdf, 11 KB)
	AO 133 Bill of Costs (.pdf, 270 KB)
	Notice of Appeal (.pdf, 735 KB)

• Go to ADR Forms page