Judicial Council of California · California form
Fill out Form CM-010
Civil Case Cover Sheet Rev. July 1, 2026
Judicial Council of California says: “Tells the court some basic information about a case being filed. Filed at the beginning of all civil cases except family law cases.” Source
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Facts from the official source
Quoted or closely restated from the Judicial Council of California's own pages and PDFs, checked .
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Judicial Council of California | CM-010 form page, California Courts Self-Help Guide |
| Edition | Rev. July 1, 2026 | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010, page 1 footer. |
| Effective | July 1, 2026 | CM-010 form page, California Courts Self-Help Guide CM-010 form page. |
| Form status | Mandatory Form | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 1 footer. |
| When it is filed | The plaintiff must file this cover sheet with the first paper filed in the action or proceeding, except in small claims cases or cases filed under the Probate Code, Family Code, or Welfare and Institutions Code. Failure to file may result in sanctions. | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 2, Notice. |
| Local cover sheets | File this cover sheet in addition to any cover sheet required by local court rule. | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 2, Notice. |
| Service of the cover sheet | In a complex case under rule 3.400 et seq. or a collections case under rule 3.740, a copy of this cover sheet must be served on all other parties. | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 2, Notice. |
| Initial paper only | A cover sheet must be filed only with your initial paper. | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 2, Instructions on how to complete the cover sheet. |
| Items to complete | You must complete items 1 through 6, and in item 1 check one box for the case type that best describes the case. | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 2, Instructions on how to complete the cover sheet. |
| Instructions | Instructions on how to complete the cover sheet are printed on page 2, and examples of each case type are on page 3. | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 1, above item 1. |
| How it is used | Unless this is a collections case under rule 3.740 or a complex case, this cover sheet will be used for statistical purposes only. | Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), page 2, Notice. |
What is on the form
- Caption and case designation
- Attorney or party details, court name and address, case name, unlimited or limited civil case, complex case designation, and case number. Form CM-010, page 1
- Item 1
- One box for the case type that best describes the case. Form CM-010, page 1
- Items 2 to 6 and signature
- Whether the case is complex and the factors, remedies sought, number of causes of action, class action, related cases, then date, printed name and signature of party or attorney. Form CM-010, page 2
- Notice and instructions
- Filing notice and instructions on how to complete the cover sheet. Form CM-010, page 2
- Case types and examples
- Examples of the cases that belong under each case type in item 1 (information only). Form CM-010, page 3
Checked by PDF Tower: the official PDF has 3 pages and 87 fillable fields (23 text, 64 checkbox or radio), 182 KB. SHA-256 2e97e4010e077b4d…, computed .
Edition and revisions
- Edition on this page: Rev. July 1, 2026, effective .
Sources
- CM-010 form page, California Courts Self-Help Guide Retrieved .
- Form CM-010 (Rev. July 1, 2026), official PDF Retrieved .
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