If you want to file a motion, the process is generally something like this: You write your motion. You file your motion with the court clerk. The court clerk inserts the date and time your motion will be heard by the judge. You “serve” (mail) your motion to the other side.
You can also ask your court's Self-Help Center or public law library for a sample or blank pleading paper.
Write your legal argument by stating the rule and explaining how your facts apply to it. Then, add your signature, a Certificate of Service, and a Notice of Hearing. File your motion with the clerk of court overseeing your case. Then, give copies to each defendant.
Pleading Paper Your name must start on line 1. The Court name and location must start on line 8. The caption of the case must start on line 11. You must have a footer with the title of the document. After the caption (the box with the name of the Plaintiff/Respondent) you can use the space as needed, using double spacing.
General format - each motion generally consists of a case caption, a title that briefly identifies the relief sought, a series of numbered paragraphs that explains -- in a logical way -- why you are entitled to that relief, a prayer for relief, a signature block, a certification that a copy of the motion was sent to ...
In some circumstances, you file a petition or a motion. The court has several complaint forms that you may use in drafting your complaint. The forms are available online and at the Pro Se Intake Unit. You may also write your own complaint without using a court form.
Tips For Filling Out Legal Forms Use the most current version of the form. Read the entire form AND any directions that came with it BEFORE filling out the form. Use clear, legible writing. Always use your legal name, current address, daytime telephone number, and a valid e-mail address.
The use of the term and/or is pervasive in legal language. Lawyers use it in all types of legal contexts—including statutes, contracts, and pleadings. Beginning in the 1930s, however, many judges decided that the term and/or should never be used in legal drafting.
Tips For Filling Out Legal Forms Use the most current version of the form. Read the entire form AND any directions that came with it BEFORE filling out the form. Use clear, legible writing. Always use your legal name, current address, daytime telephone number, and a valid e-mail address.