Instructions: Writing and Filing a Motion

This template was prepared by the Justice & Diversity Center, a nonprofit organization, and is not an official
court form. It can be used in certain civil lawsuits in the Northern District Court of California. Using this
template does not guarantee any result in your case.

HOW TO GET LEGAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE

This packet provides general guidance about writing a motion. Before filing this document, make an
appointment for free legal information and advice at one of the Legal Help Centers.
If the case is assigned to a judge in the San Francisco, Oakland, or Eureka federal courthouse,
do one of the following:

Call the appointment scheduling line for the Federal Pro Bono Project: 415-782-8982

Sign up in the appointment book at either:

450 Golden Gate Ave., 15th Floor, Room 2796, San Francisco or
1301 Clay Street, 4th Floor, Room 470S, Oakland
Email us at [email protected]
This email is to schedule appointments only-no legal advice is given over email.

If the case is assigned to a judge in the San Jose federal courthouse, do one of the following:

Call the appointment scheduling line for the Federal Pro Se Program: 408-297-1480

Monday to Thursday 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, drop in at

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, 152 North 3rd St., 3rd Floor, San Jose
Monday to Thursday 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, drop in at
280 South 1st Street, 2nd Floor, Room 2070, San Jose

WHO SHOULD USE THIS TEMPLATE

Motions are used to ask the Court to decide something. If you want to file a Motion to Dismiss the
Complaint, Motion to Compel Discovery, or a Motion for Summary Judgment, visit a Legal Help Center for
templates for those specific Motions.
CHECKLIST: HOW TO PREPARE A MOTION

 Chose a hearing date. Most judges require you to select a hearing date so they can listen to
arguments about the motion from you and the other side. The hearing date is typically at least 35 days
after you file the motion. You can get more information on choosing a hearing date from the judge’s
page on the Court’s website (http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/judges) or visit a Legal Help Center.
 Complete the Declaration. A “Declaration” is a statement of facts signed under penalty of perjury.

2017 Instructions: Filing a Motion - General 1 of 3

 o Write the facts. In the Declaration, write each fact the Court needs to know to decide the
Motion. Write only facts that you know about personally. If a person other than you has
personal knowledge of the facts, they may also submit a Declaration using the same template.
o Add exhibits as evidence. If you want to attach a document to your Declaration as evidence,
say what the document is, how you got it and when. You may want to use this format:
“Attached as Exhibit A is a true and correct copy of an email I received from Plaintiff on June
5, 2017.” Mark each exhibit with a letter or number. Many judges require parties to also tab the
exhibit with the letter on the side.
o Review, number the pages and sign. Read the Declaration to make sure it is clear, correct,
and complete. Fill in the name and the page numbers at the bottom of each page, sign and date.

 Complete the Notice and Memorandum. This document cannot be longer than 15 pages.
o Notice section. Fill in all of the blanks in the Notice section.
o Issues section. List the things you are asking the Court to decide in this Motion. There may be
one thing, or several. For example:
1. To allow you to amend your complaint
2. Whether this Court is the correct venue for this case
3. Whether Defendant’s subpoena should be narrowed to cover only certain dates
o Statement of Facts section. Repeat each fact stated in the Declaration. At the end of each
sentence, say where in the Declaration the Court can find evidence supporting the facts. You
may want to use these formats:
 “On June 4, 2017, I called Defendant. (Plaintiff Declaration, paragraph 4.)”
 “I emailed Plaintiff on June 5, 2017. (Defendant Declaration, paragraph 5 and Exhibit A.)”
o Argument section. State why the Court should decide each issue in your favor and grant your
motion. When you mention facts, say where in the Declaration the Court can find the
supporting evidence, just as you did in the Fact section. You can add case law or statutes to
support your position. If you have questions about any argument, contact the Legal Help Center.
o Review, number the pages, and sign. Read the Memorandum to make sure it is clear, correct,
and complete. Fill in the type of motion and page numbers at the bottom of each page, sign and
date. If the Memorandum is longer than 10 pages (excluding the title page), you must add a
table of contents and a table of cases and statutes. Insert these after the title page.

 Complete the Proposed Order. This is the order that you want the Court to sign, granting your
motion. Briefly state the issues you want the Court to rule on in your favor. Do NOT sign or date
this document.

 Prepare the Certificate of Service. Each document that you file must be “served” on each other
party, usually by sending it in the mail. Follow the instructions on the Certificate of Service. You can
do one Certificate of Service for all documents you serve with this motion.

 Mark your calendar. Put the hearing date on your calendar, and be sure to show up at Court. You
must follow whatever decision is made at or after the hearing and any instructions from the Court.

FILING AND SERVING YOUR MOTION PAPERS

1. Make copies. Once the documents are complete, make three copies of each. On one copy of the
documents, write “Chambers” on the top in pen. (If there is more than one plaintiff or defendant,
you will also need one copy for each of them.)
2. File the Motion. Deliver or mail the original plus two copies of the documents to the Clerk’s
2017 Instructions: Filing a Motion - General 2 of 3
 Office at the courthouse where the judge for your case is located. The Clerk will take the original
and one copy. The other copy is for you to keep after it is stamped by the Clerk. If you file by
mail, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope so that the Clerk can send a copy back to you.
3. Serve the Motion. Be sure the Motion papers and Certificate are served on each party.
TIMELINE: AFTER THE MOTION PAPERS ARE FILED

The timeline below lists what generally happens after the Motion is filed. The Legal Help Centers (see page
1) can provide guidance about these steps, and have many other templates for you to use in your case.
Court sends out a written Order
Moving party deciding whether the Motion is
Motion may file a granted or denied
filed and Reply (no deadline, but usually within
served (within 7 days) a few weeks of hearing date)

Opposition served Court has hearing

(within 14 days) on Motion, or
cancels the hearing

STAY UP TO DATE

1. Update your contact information. File a notice with the Clerk right away if your address, email, or
phone number changes, or you may miss important deadlines, causing you to lose your case.
2. Check your mail. Be sure to check regularly for documents from the Court and opposing side.

3. A list of the documents that have been filed, and (usually) the documents themselves can be
viewed online. See Chapter 7 of the Handbook (below), and contact the Legal Help Centers.

UNDERSTANDING THE LAWS AND RULES

The Legal Help Centers (see page 1) are the best resource for people without lawyers. There are other
resources for understanding the laws and rules of the Court:
1. Handbook for Pro Se Litigants. The Handbook is a procedural guide for people who are
representing themselves. It was prepared by the Court and is available at the Clerk’s Office or on the
Court’s website at www.cand.uscourts.gov/prosehandbk.

2. Legal Research Guide for Pro Se Litigants. The Guide provides information for people who are
representing themselves about how to do legal research, like finding statutes and decisions in other
cases. It was prepared by the Justice & Diversity Center and is available at the Legal Help Centers
and at www.cand.uscourts.gov/Legal-Help-Center-Templates.

3. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“FRCP”). These Rules explain the procedures from filing
through trial for all civil cases in federal courts across the country, and are available at
www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf.

4. Local Rules. The Local Rules follow the same numbering as the FRCP, but generally provide more
detail. They apply in this District only, and are available at www.cand.uscourts.gov/localrules/civil.

2017 Instructions: Filing a Motion - General 3 of 3

 1 Your name:
2 Address:
3
4 Phone Number:
5 E-mail Address:
6 Pro se
7
8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
9 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
10 Division [check one]:  San Francisco  Oakland  San Jose  Eureka
11 )
)
12 ) Case Number:
)
13 ) NOTICE AND MOTION [type of motion]
14 )
Plaintiff, ) ________________________________________
15 vs. ) ________________________________________
)
16 ) AND MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT
)
17 ) DATE: _________________________________
)
18 ) TIME: __________________________________
)
19 ) COURTROOM: __________________________
)
20 Defendant. ) JUDGE:
)
21 Hon. ____________________________________
22
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NOTICE AND MOTION [type of motion]_______________________________________________

CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 I. NOTICE OF MOTION
2 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on [date] __________________________________________,
3 at [time] ___________________________________________, at [courtroom number and address]
4 ________________________________________________________________________________,
5 before the Honorable [judge’s name] __________________________________________________,
6 I will, and hereby do, move for an order granting this Motion [type of motion]
7 _________________________________________________________________________________.
8 The motion will be based on this Notice and Motion, the Memorandum of Points and Authorities
9 below, the Declaration(s) of [names of people who wrote declarations]
10 _________________________________________________________________________________
11 and the [Proposed] Order.
12 II. ISSUES TO BE DECIDED
[Write each question or request that you are asking the Court to decide in this Motion. There may be
13 one issue, or more. See the Instructions for examples.]
14 1. ________________________________________________________________________
15 _________________________________________________________________________________
16 _________________________________________________________________________________
17 2. ________________________________________________________________________
18 _________________________________________________________________________________
19 _________________________________________________________________________________
20 3. ________________________________________________________________________
21 _________________________________________________________________________________
22 _________________________________________________________________________________
23 4. ________________________________________________________________________
24 _________________________________________________________________________________
25 _________________________________________________________________________________
26 5. _____________________________________________________________________
27 _________________________________________________________________________________
28 _________________________________________________________________________________

NOTICE AND MOTION [type of motion]_______________________________________________

CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 III. MEMORANDUM
2 A. Statement of Facts
[Write the facts relevant to the Motion. Add more pages as needed. At the end of each sentence, write
3
where evidence of that fact can be found. See the Instructions for more detail.]
4 _________________________________________________________________________________
5 _________________________________________________________________________________
6 _________________________________________________________________________________
7 _________________________________________________________________________________
8 _________________________________________________________________________________
9 _________________________________________________________________________________
10 _________________________________________________________________________________
11 _________________________________________________________________________________
12 _________________________________________________________________________________
13 _________________________________________________________________________________
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15 _________________________________________________________________________________
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20 _________________________________________________________________________________
21 _________________________________________________________________________________
22 _________________________________________________________________________________
23 _________________________________________________________________________________
24 _________________________________________________________________________________
25 _________________________________________________________________________________
26 _________________________________________________________________________________
27 _________________________________________________________________________________
28 _________________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE AND MOTION [type of motion]_______________________________________________
CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 B. Argument
[You should have an argument section for each issue that you listed on page 2. Explain why the
2
Court should rule in your favor on each issue. Provide facts and case law/statutes (if you have any).
3 Add more pages as needed.]

4 _________________________________________________________________________________
5 _________________________________________________________________________________
6 _________________________________________________________________________________
7 _________________________________________________________________________________
8 _________________________________________________________________________________
9 _________________________________________________________________________________
10 _________________________________________________________________________________
11 _________________________________________________________________________________
12 _________________________________________________________________________________
13 _________________________________________________________________________________
14 _________________________________________________________________________________
15 _________________________________________________________________________________
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19 _________________________________________________________________________________
20 _________________________________________________________________________________
21 _________________________________________________________________________________
22 _________________________________________________________________________________
23 _________________________________________________________________________________
24 _________________________________________________________________________________
25 _________________________________________________________________________________
26 _________________________________________________________________________________
27 _________________________________________________________________________________
28 _________________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE AND MOTION [type of motion]_______________________________________________
CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 _________________________________________________________________________________
2 _________________________________________________________________________________
3 _________________________________________________________________________________
4 _________________________________________________________________________________
5 _________________________________________________________________________________
6 _________________________________________________________________________________
7 _________________________________________________________________________________
8 _________________________________________________________________________________
9 _________________________________________________________________________________
10 _________________________________________________________________________________
11 _________________________________________________________________________________
12 _________________________________________________________________________________
13 _________________________________________________________________________________
14 _________________________________________________________________________________
15 _________________________________________________________________________________
16 _________________________________________________________________________________
17 _________________________________________________________________________________
18 _________________________________________________________________________________
19 _________________________________________________________________________________
20 _________________________________________________________________________________
21 _________________________________________________________________________________
22 _________________________________________________________________________________
23 _________________________________________________________________________________
24 [You must sign and date.]
25 Respectfully submitted,
26
27 Date: Sign Name:
28
Print Name:
NOTICE AND MOTION [type of motion]_______________________________________________
CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 Insert a copy of this page as needed to continue any section, or to write an introduction.
2 _________________________________________________________________________________
3 _________________________________________________________________________________
4 _________________________________________________________________________________
5 _________________________________________________________________________________
6 _________________________________________________________________________________
7 _________________________________________________________________________________
8 _________________________________________________________________________________
9 _________________________________________________________________________________
10 _________________________________________________________________________________
11 _________________________________________________________________________________
12 _________________________________________________________________________________
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19 _________________________________________________________________________________
20 _________________________________________________________________________________
21 _________________________________________________________________________________
22 _________________________________________________________________________________
23 _________________________________________________________________________________
24 _________________________________________________________________________________
25 _________________________________________________________________________________
26 _________________________________________________________________________________
27 _________________________________________________________________________________
28 _________________________________________________________________________________

NOTICE AND MOTION [type of motion]_______________________________________________

CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 Your name:
2 Address:
3
4 Phone Number:
5 E-mail Address:
6 Pro se
7
8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
9 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
10 Division [check one]:  San Francisco  Oakland  San Jose  Eureka
11
)
12 ) Case Number:
)
13 ) DECLARATION OF [name of person signing]
14 )
Plaintiff, ) ________________________________________
15 )
vs. ) IN SUPPORT OF MOTION [motion title]
16 ) ________________________________________
)
17 ) ________________________________________
)
18 ) DATE: _________________________________
)
19 ) TIME: __________________________________
)
20 Defendant. ) JUDGE:
)
21 ) Hon. ___________________________________
22 [In the first paragraph, explain who you are. If you are the Plaintiff or Defendant, say so here. If you
are a witness, say how you are connected to the party or events in this case.]
23
24 1. I am ____________________________________________________________________
25 _________________________________________________________________________________.
26 2. I have personal knowledge of all facts stated in this declaration, and if called to testify, I
27 could and would testify competently thereto.
28

DECLARATION OF [name] _________________________________________________________

CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 [Write each fact in a separate, numbered paragraph, starting with 3. You may only write about facts
that you know personally, such as events you witnessed. Explain how you know each fact. If you want
2 to include documents, see the Instructions. Make copies of this page if you need more space.]
3
____. ______________________________________________________________________
4
_________________________________________________________________________________
5
_________________________________________________________________________________
6
_________________________________________________________________________________
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____. ______________________________________________________________________
8
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_________________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________________________
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DECLARATION OF [name] _________________________________________________________

CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 ____. ______________________________________________________________________
2 _________________________________________________________________________________
3 _________________________________________________________________________________
4 _________________________________________________________________________________
5 ____. ______________________________________________________________________
6 _________________________________________________________________________________
7 _________________________________________________________________________________
8 _________________________________________________________________________________
9 ____. ______________________________________________________________________
10 _________________________________________________________________________________
11 _________________________________________________________________________________
12 _________________________________________________________________________________
13
14 I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the foregoing is true
15 and correct.
16
17 Date: Sign Name:
18 Print Name:
19
20
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22
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24
25
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DECLARATION OF [name] _________________________________________________________

CASE NO.: _________________________________; PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 2017]
 1 Your name:
2 Address:
3
4 Phone Number:
5 E-mail Address:
6 Pro se
7
8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
9 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
10 Division [check one]:  San Francisco  Oakland  San Jose  Eureka
11 )
)
12 ) Case Number:
)
13 ) [PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING
14 )
Plaintiff, ) MOTION [type of motion]
15 vs. ) ________________________________________
)
16 ) ________________________________________
)
17 )
)
18 )
)
19 )
)
20 Defendant. )
)
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
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[PROPOSED] ORDER; CASE NO.: ___________________________________________________

PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 07/17]
 1 Considering the papers and arguments, and finding good cause, the Motion to [type of motion]
2 _________________________________________________________________________________
3 is GRANTED. [Add details of what you have asked the Court to decide.]
4 _________________________________________________________________________________
5 _________________________________________________________________________________
6 _________________________________________________________________________________
7 _________________________________________________________________________________
8 _________________________________________________________________________________
9 _________________________________________________________________________________
10 _________________________________________________________________________________
11 _________________________________________________________________________________
12 _________________________________________________________________________________
13 _________________________________________________________________________________
14 _________________________________________________________________________________
15 _________________________________________________________________________________
16 _________________________________________________________________________________
17 _________________________________________________________________________________
18 _________________________________________________________________________________
19 IT IS SO ORDERED.
20 [Do not write below.]
21
22 Date:
23 UNITED STATES DISTRICT/MAGISTRATE JUDGE
24
25
26
27
28

[PROPOSED] ORDER; CASE NO.: ___________________________________________________

PAGE ____ OF ____ [JDC TEMPLATE - rev. 07/17]