Court Template

Take this standardized court template and adapt it to your needs.

Court templates are standardized documents that courthouses provide to ensure filings meet legal and formatting requirements. Whether you’re working with a criminal form (like a guilty plea), a civil form (like a summons), or a family law form (like a custody petition), understanding how to customize a single template correctly can save time and prevent rejections.

Why Use a Court Template?

A court template provides:

• Compliance - The form follows your jurisdiction’s rules and formatting standards.

• Efficiency - You only fill in required fields instead of drafting from scratch.

• Clarity - Courts, lawyers, and litigants understand documents faster when they follow a familiar format.

Customizing a Court Template

1. Download the Court Template

2. Save and Rename It: Store it in your working folder and rename it with your case details (e.g., “Smith_v_Jones_Summons.docx”).

3. Fill in Case-Specific Information:
   Enter:

   • Court Name and Division

   • Case Number

   • Plaintiff and Defendant Names

   • Filing Date and Signature

   Keep the original formatting (fonts, spacing, capitalization) intact.

4. Review Before Filing: Double-check that all mandatory fields are complete. Missing details (like a Defendant’s address or filing fee info) can delay processing.

Court Template