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Home » Self-Help » Getting Started » Court Basics » Basics Of Court Forms And Filings

Basics Of Court Forms And Filings

Learn how to find and fill out legal forms, how to create your own legal documents, and how to file documents with the court.

Legal Forms
Tips For Filling Out Legal Forms
Creating Your Own Legal Documents
How to File Documents

Legal Forms

All of the forms on this website have been approved for use in the Clark County Justice and District Courts. These are the reliable places to search for court forms:   

  • Civil Law Self-Help Center. The Self-Help Center forms have been approved for use in all courts in Clark County.  Justice Courts may have alternative versions of a form available to the public.  Click to visit our Forms section to learn more.
  • Family Law Self-Help Center. The Family Law Self-Help Center has form packets on family law topics such as divorce, custody, child support, name changes, and many others.  These form packets can be downloaded from the Family Law Self-Help Center's website free of charge.  Click to visit our Family Law Self-Help page to learn more.
  • Court websites. The court in which your case is pending might have court-created forms available on its website for particular types of cases.  Some court-created forms are at these sites.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Commissioner, Arbitration and Mediation Forms 
Civil Discovery Commissioner, Discovery Forms 

Not every form may be found online.  If you cannot find a form suitable to your needs, you may have to create your own form. Your local law library will be a good place to start researching forms.  Click to visit our Law Libraries page to learn more.


Tips For Filling Out Legal Forms

  • Use the most current version of the form. 

  •  Read the entire form AND any directions that came with it BEFORE filling out the form. Reading the form and instructions will help you understand what the form is intended for and what information you will need to provide.

  • Make sure your completed forms are easy to read.  Type them online if possible, or write with dark ink in clear, legible handwriting.

  • You always need to fill out the "caption" on the first page. The caption contains your name, address, phone number, and e-mail. If you want your home address to stay private, you can use another address where you receive mail.  The caption also lists the name of the plaintiff, the name of the defendant, the case number, and the department number.

TIP! The case caption almost never changes during the course of a case. Typically, whoever is listed as the plaintiff at the start of the case will stay the plaintiff until the end. The same is true for the defendant, the case number, and the department number.

  • If you do not have a lawyer, write "self-represented" anywhere the form asks for the name of your attorney or says "Attorney for."
  • Fill out the forms completely and accurately. If something does not apply to you, write "N/A" (meaning "not applicable").  Similarly, if the answer to a question is "none," write "none." If you do not know the answer to a question, write "unknown." But try not to leave blanks in your forms.
  • Sign your forms in each place that requires your signature. Use blue or black ink only.  Notice that on many court forms you are signing "under penalty of perjury." That means when you sign the form you are declaring that what is on the form is true and correct. Take this seriously! There are both civil and criminal penalties for perjury.
  • Complete one section of the form at a time.  If you have questions about a particular section or question, leave it blank until you can get your question answered.
  • If you need help filling out your forms, seek help.  The Self-Help Centers, private attorneys (visit Lawyers and Legal Help to learn more),  or a volunteer attorney at one of the Ask-A-Lawyer programs may be able to answer your question (visit Free Ask-A-Lawyer Programs to learn more). Attend a free legal class similar to your case and ask questions at the seminar's conclusion (visit Free Classes to learn more).  
  • Visit your local law library.  Ask a librarian for books and resources to help you complete your forms (visit Law Libraries to learn more).
  • Keep a copy of everything that you file with Court.  Organizing your copies by date of the document will help you find documents quickly.  Take your entire document file with you every time you go to the courthouse.
  • The court only accepts single-sided copies. Make sure all copies have print on only one side of the paper.  

 

Creating Your Own Legal Documents

If you cannot find a pre-printed, fill-in-the-blank form you need, you can create a legal document yourself.  

Try to find a good example to work from.  Your local Law Library might have a sample to show you and may be able to help you with creating a form.  

  • Look for a sample that is the same general type of pleading or motion that you are creating.  For example, if you are trying to write a complaint to sue someone, look for a sample complaint (not a sample motion or opposition).  Different types of legal documents are used to accomplish different things in different situations.  They are not one size fits all!
  • Look for a sample that is written from your side of the case.  If you are the plaintiff in the case, look for a sample document written from a plaintiff's perspective.  A document that is written from the other side's perspective may actually be asking the court for something that hurts your case rather than helps.
  • Look for a sample where the facts involved are as close to the facts of your case as possible.  For example, if you are writing a complaint to sue someone because they failed to pay back a $15,000 loan, try to find a sample complaint where someone failed to pay money under a promissory note, or maybe failed to perform under a contract, or failed to keep an oral promise, or was unjustly enriched, something like that.  But do not use a sample complaint where someone was hit by a car, for example, because it probably will not apply!
  • Find a sample document where the party is trying to accomplish the same thing as you.  In some cases, one type of legal document can be used to accomplish many different things.  In an eviction case, for example, a "motion" (which is, generally, just a procedural device used to bring some limited issue before the court for decision) might be used to pause the case, or dismiss the case, or intervene in the case, or any number of other things.
  • Use the samples you find ONLY as guides to help you create your own documents.  Do not simply copy word for word because some things may not apply to your case and could even hurt you.  If you do not understand a word or phrase, do not include it unless you find out what it means.

When preparing your documents, make sure their format complies with the rules of the court in which your case is pending.  Most courts have rules governing how documents are supposed to look and what information they must contain. For example:

  • If you have a case in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Local Rule 7.20 governs the general form of papers to be filed, exhibits, documents, and legal citation.  There are other local rules that may also apply to your documents.  Visit our District Court Rules page to learn more.  Visit our District Court page for links.
  • If you have a case in the Las Vegas Justice Court, Local Rule 10 governs the general form of pleadings and papers.  There are other local rules that may also apply to your documents.  Click to visit our Justice Court Rules page to learn more.

To download blank pleading paper (paper with numbers down the left-hand margin, a case caption on the first page, a signature block, and the like) in Microsoft Word that you can save to your computer and use to prepare your own documents, click on the link below:

Blank Pleading Paper 

 

How to File Documents

Any document you want included in your case must be 'filed.'  There may be a filing fee for the documents you are trying to file, which is usually payable by cash, money order, and most major debit/credit cards. To visit the district court's website for a list of filing fees, click here to view the "Current Filing Fees" list.

There are typically two ways to file:

  • Online: 
    Las Vegas Justice Court AND District Court: You can file online through the court's e-filing system, eFileNV. There is a fee of $3.50 to upload your documents in addition to the regular filing fee. You must register for an account, you must provide a valid email address, and you must be able to scan and upload your documents as separate pdfs.  Do not upload one pdf with all of the forms included - this will significantly delay the processing.  Each form needs to be filed as its own pdf, but you can upload all of them in one submission. 

    There are several training videos to help you set up an account and navigate the efiling site.  If you need help efiling, contact E-Filing Support.
    Register for an Account
    Set up Account (including payment accounts, waivers, and service contacts)
    How to file a New Case
    How to file into an Existing Case

    Other Justice Courts: Visit our Justice Courts page for links and contact information.
      
  • In Person:
    District Court: 3rd floor, Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Avenue, in Downtown Las Vegas.  Monday through Friday, 9am-4pm, excluding holidays.
    Las Vegas Justice Court: 1st  floor, Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Avenue, in Downtown Las Vegas.  Monday - Thursday 7am - 5pm, excluding holidays.
    Other Justice Courts:   Visit our Justice Courts page for links and contact information.

TIP!  Different justice courts may have different filing requirements, so be sure to familiarize yourself with your court's procedures. The Las Vegas Justice Court, for instance, requires all documents to be filed electronically, so anyone filing in that court needs an e-mail address to set up an electronic filing account. Click to visit the Las Vegas Justice Court's website to learn more about its File and Serve program.