Which California court hears your civil case
Civil jurisdiction thresholds with statutory authority. Source: 1Court Directory, verified 2026-08-20 (official source).
| Tier | Court | Amount in controversy | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small claims | Small Claims Court (Superior Court) $6,250 for corporations/other entities; $12,500 for natural persons. | Up to $12,500 | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 116.221 |
| Limited civil | Superior Court: Limited Civil | Up to $35,000 | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 85 (SB 71, eff. 2024-01-01) |
| General civil | Superior Court: Unlimited Civil | No limit | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 88 |
Unified Superior Court; 'limited' vs 'unlimited' is a case classification, not separate courts.
Answer deadline after service
A defendant generally has 30 days after service of the summons and complaint to file an answer (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 412.20).
Estimates from the statutory answer period; service-method extensions and local rules can change these dates. Verify before relying on them. Not legal advice.
39 California forms SimpleCase prepares
Generated from your uploaded complaint, with captions and terminology matched to California practice. Every document is a draft for attorney review.
- Certificate of Assignment (San Bernardino County)(pattern) Mandatory with new civil filings: SB Local Rule 131, form 13-16503-360; determines the filing district
- Certificate of Counsel (Riverside County)(pattern) Mandatory with new civil filings: Riverside Local Rule 3115, form RI-CI032; states why the case belongs in the district
- Civil Case Cover Sheet Addendum (Ventura County)(pattern) Required with new civil filings: Ventura local form VN-278
- Civil Case Cover Sheet Addendum (Santa Barbara County)(pattern) Required with new filings: Santa Barbara Local Rule 1310, form SC-2069; North or South County basis
- Addendum to Civil Case Cover Sheet (Alameda County)(pattern) Required with unlimited civil filings: Alameda local form 202-19
- Notice of Deposition(pattern) CCP § 2025.220: oral deposition with optional duces tecum
- Motion for Continuance(pattern) CRC 3.1332: good-cause continuance with proposed order
- Notice of Appearance(pattern) Appearance of counsel; service on undersigned requested
- CM-010 Civil Case Cover SheetMandatory cover sheet for all civil cases
- SUM-100 SummonsStandard civil summons
- SUM-130 Summons (UD)Unlawful detainer summons, 5-day response
- UD-101 UD Cover SheetMandatory UD cover sheet
- LACIV-109 LA County AddendumLA County filing addendum
- POS-030 Proof of Service (Mail)Proof of service by first-class mail
- POS-010 Proof of Service (Personal)Proof of personal service
- CIV-110 Request for DismissalVoluntary dismissal
- CIV-100 Request for Entry of DefaultDefault when defendant fails to respond
- CIV-105 Request for Court JudgmentDefault judgment with damages calculation
- JUD-100 Proposed JudgmentCourt judgment form signed by judge
- MC-010 Memorandum of CostsItemized recoverable costs summary
- EJ-130 Writ of ExecutionEnforce judgment: levy on assets
- WG-001 Earnings Withholding OrderWage garnishment application
- SUBP-001 Civil SubpoenaCompel witness attendance
- FW-001 Fee Waiver RequestRequest to waive court fees
- MC-030 DeclarationGeneral purpose declaration
- PLD-C-001 Complaint (Contract)Official Judicial Council contract complaint: the CA collections/contract pleading
- PLD-C-001(1) Cause of Action: Breach of ContractOfficial attachment: breach of contract cause of action (BC-1 to BC-6)
- PLD-C-001(2) Cause of Action: Common CountsOfficial attachment: open book account / common counts, the collections cause
- PLD-C-001(3) Cause of Action: FraudOfficial attachment: fraud cause of action; caption pre-filled, allegations attorney-drafted
- EJ-001 Abstract of JudgmentRecords a judgment lien on the debtor's real property: CCP 674
- AT-138/EJ-125 Appearance and ExaminationJudgment debtor examination (ORAP): post-judgment asset discovery, CCP 708.110
- EJ-100 Acknowledgment of SatisfactionRequired when the judgment is paid: CCP 724.030
- MC-012 Memorandum of Costs After JudgmentAdds accrued post-judgment costs and interest: file with writ renewals
- CM-110 Case Management StatementRequired before every case management conference: all caption blocks pre-filled
- 3-Day Notice to Pay Rent or QuitCCP 1161(2): court days, RENT ONLY, 12-month lookback, payment instructions required
- 3-Day Notice to Perform Covenant or QuitCCP 1161(3): curable lease violations
- 3-Day Notice to Quit (Unconditional)CCP 1161(4): waste, nuisance, unlawful use, unauthorized sublet
- 30/60-Day Notice of Termination of TenancyCiv. Code 1946.1 + 1946.2 just cause and relocation assistance where covered
- Proof of Service of Notice (CCP 1162)Personal / substituted / post-and-mail declaration for the UD file
Filing packages
One click assembles the forms a California matter typically needs at each stage.
General Civil
PLD-C-001 Complaint (Contract) · PLD-C-001(1) Cause of Action: Breach of Contract · CM-010 Civil Case Cover Sheet · SUM-100 Summons · POS-010 Proof of Service (Personal) · POS-030 Proof of Service (Mail)
Collections / Default
PLD-C-001 Complaint (Contract) · PLD-C-001(2) Cause of Action: Common Counts · CM-010 Civil Case Cover Sheet · SUM-100 Summons · POS-010 Proof of Service (Personal) · CIV-100 Request for Entry of Default · CIV-105 Request for Court Judgment · JUD-100 Proposed Judgment · MC-010 Memorandum of Costs · POS-030 Proof of Service (Mail)
Collections / Default Judgment
CIV-100 Request for Entry of Default · CIV-105 Request for Court Judgment · JUD-100 Proposed Judgment · MC-010 Memorandum of Costs
Collections / Enforce Judgment
EJ-130 Writ of Execution · WG-001 Earnings Withholding Order · EJ-001 Abstract of Judgment · AT-138/EJ-125 Appearance and Examination · MC-012 Memorandum of Costs After Judgment · MC-010 Memorandum of Costs
Unlawful Detainer: File & Serve
CM-010 Civil Case Cover Sheet · SUM-130 Summons (UD) · UD-101 UD Cover Sheet · POS-010 Proof of Service (Personal) · POS-030 Proof of Service (Mail)
Eviction: Notices to Tenant
3-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit · 3-Day Notice to Perform Covenant or Quit · 3-Day Notice to Quit (Unconditional) · 30/60-Day Notice of Termination of Tenancy · Proof of Service of Notice (CCP 1162)
Eviction: Default & Judgment
CIV-100 Request for Entry of Default · JUD-100 Proposed Judgment · MC-010 Memorandum of Costs
Eviction: Writ (Possession)
EJ-130 Writ of Execution
Post-Filing
CIV-110 Request for Dismissal · POS-030 Proof of Service (Mail) · MC-030 Declaration
Fee Waiver
FW-001 Fee Waiver Request
County-level court details
Filing fees, clerk contacts, e-filing portals, and courthouse addresses for every California county are in the 1Court Directory: California.
How it works
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Every required form, filled and assembled as a ZIP, ready for attorney review and filing.
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Try SimpleCase freeSimpleCase prepares document drafts for attorney review; it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Court data on this page is sourced from the 1Court Directory with the verification date shown, and statutes and court rules change: always confirm current requirements, deadlines, and fees with the clerk of the court before filing.