Caption and Parties
Full plaintiff and defendant names and abbreviations consistent with the complaint, including any fictitious party designations where permitted; essential for accurate docketing and service.
Accurate completion ensures proper case assignment, correct fee assessment, and timely scheduling of hearings. Courts rely on the statement to determine complexity, set discovery timelines, and route the matter to the appropriate judge or calendar. Mistakes can cause scheduling delays, misplaced filings, or additional administrative tasks for the parties and the clerk.
The Civil Case Information Statement is usually prepared by the filing party or the filing party’s attorney at the time the complaint or petition is submitted to the clerk.
Verify whether local rules require a separate cover sheet, a jurisdiction-specific questionnaire, or online e-filing; follow clerk instructions to avoid processing delays.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Auto-fill case caption | Pull from complaint template |
| Date fields | Use MM/DD/YYYY validation |
| Attorney block | Map firm CRM contact data |
| Export format | PDF/A for court e-filing |
Courts increasingly accept e-filed Civil Case Information Statements and many allow electronic signatures when ESIGN/UETA criteria are met.
Verify local court e-filing rules and whether the clerk requires wet signature originals for any supporting documents before relying solely on e-submission.
Federal: serve within 90 days (FRCP 4(m)).
Federal: typically 21 days to answer (FRCP 12(a)).
Initial conference often scheduled within 90–120 days.
Expect electronic receipt immediately after submission.
State deadlines differ; always check local rules.
Full plaintiff and defendant names and abbreviations consistent with the complaint, including any fictitious party designations where permitted; essential for accurate docketing and service.
Specify the exact court, division, and the legal classification or cause code used by the clerk to determine track, fees, and calendaring rules.
Summarize damages, injunctive relief, or declaratory relief sought with a numeric estimate or categorical description to help the court assess complexity.
Indicate whether a jury is requested; this affects scheduling, voir dire procedures, and sometimes fee categories.
Provide attorney names, bar numbers, firm addresses, telephone numbers, and emails to ensure responsive communication from the court and opposing parties.
Note any related pending or closed cases by case number; courts use this to identify potential consolidation or judge reassignment needs.
A small corporate plaintiff standardized pleadings to auto-fill the statement from templates
A real estate practice attaches property exhibits and pre-populates case-type codes
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