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).
17 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.
- 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
Filing packages
One click assembles the forms a California matter typically needs at each stage.
General Civil
CM-010 Civil Case Cover Sheet · SUM-100 Summons · POS-010 Proof of Service (Personal) · POS-030 Proof of Service (Mail)
Collections / Default
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 · MC-010 Memorandum of Costs
Unlawful Detainer
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)
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
Upload your case document
PDF, Word, image, or text. SimpleCase extracts parties, claims, amounts, and dates.
Confirm venue and court
For unfiled cases, SimpleCase suggests the county, court level, and courthouse, with the statutory basis shown.
Generate the package
Every required form, filled and assembled as a ZIP, ready for attorney review and filing.
Turn a complaint into a filing-ready case
Your first 3 cases are free. No card required.
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.