To avoid a rejected filing, attorneys and self-represented litigants in the state of California must ensure their documents comply with the formatting mandates of Rule 2.111. This rule governs the layout of the first page, requiring specific placement for party names, case numbers, and court titles.

Because some jurisdictions have additional requirements, it is essential to check local court rules alongside the statewide standards. Below, we break down the anatomy of a standard California court caption.

The Attorney/Party Information

Location: Top left corner, starting at line 1 (1 inch from the top).

The following must be included:

• Name and State Bar number.
• Office address (or residential/mailing address if no office exists).
• Telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address.
• The party you are representing (e.g., Attorney for Plaintiff Jane Doe).

Note: Including an email or fax here does not automatically mean you consent to electronic service unless other legal provisions apply.

The “Clerk’s Box”

Location: Top right corner (first 2 inches of space, lines 1 through 7).

This area must be left completely blank. This is reserved for the court clerk to apply the “Filed” stamp.

The Court Title

Location: Line 8, at least 3 1/3 inches from the top.

Centering is standard here. You must state the formal name of the court (e.g., Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles).

The Case Title (The “Caption”)

Location: Below the court title, on the left side.

• Initial Filings: You must list every party on a separate line.
• Subsequent Filings: You may use a “short title” (e.g., Jane Doe, et al. v. John Roe, et al.).
• Cross-Actions: If applicable, you must include the notation “and Related Cross-action.

Case Number and Document Description

Location: To the right of the case title.

Directly opposite the parties’ names, you must provide:

• Case Number: Your assigned index/case number.
• Nature of the Paper: A clear description of what the document is (e.g., Complaint for Damages, Notice of Motion, or Defendant’s Opposition to Summary Judgment).

Summary Checklist for Special Designations

Certain cases require additional specific text below the nature of the paper:

Why This Matters

Court clerks process thousands of documents daily. Rule 2.111 ensures that the most vital information—who is suing whom, what the document is, and where the clerk should stamp it—is always in the exact same spot.