I prepare a court-ready filing kit so you can file your own California lawsuit.

An attorney-prepared filing kit that looks like it came from counsel.

The $1,250 pro se filing package delivers documents drafted in attorney-quality California pleading format. You sign and file them under your own name as the self-represented party; you remain in propria persona on the record. The other side, opposing counsel, and the court see professional pleadings.

Here is exactly what I prepare:

• Complaint on CRC 28-line pleading paper. Drafted to California Rules of Court formatting standards: 28-numbered-line pleading paper, footer with case caption and document title, attorney-quality causes of action with statutory citations, damages allegations, and prayer for relief. The document is signed by you as the self-represented party, not by me.
• Civil Case Cover Sheet (CM-010). The Judicial Council form required at filing under California Rules of Court rule 3.220. I check the appropriate civil case categories and any complex-designation boxes that apply.
• Summons (SUM-100). The Judicial Council summons form, prepared with the parties and case information. Served on the defendants after filing.
• Riverside Form RI-CI032 where applicable. For Riverside County filings, the Certificate of Counsel form disclosing attorney preparation, signed by me. Required by Riverside local rule for documents prepared by counsel for self-represented parties.
• Proof of Service forms. Either POS-010 (general civil) or the appropriate small-claims service form, with instructions on how to serve and complete the proof.
• GreenFiling e-filing instructions. Step-by-step walkthrough of how to upload your documents to GreenFiling.com (or the equivalent local court e-filing portal), pay the filing fee, and receive your conformed copy.
• One Legal service-of-process instructions. Walkthrough of how to use OneLegal.com or another approved process server to serve the summons and complaint on the named defendants, including timing under CCP section 583.210.
• 30-minute post-filing strategy review. After you file, you get a 30-minute call with me to review what to expect next: the defendant's responsive pleading deadline (typically 30 days after service), case-management conference timing, and the next procedural triggers.

The line between attorney-prepared and attorney-of-record.

This is the most important distinction to understand before you hire me for the pro se filing package. The two roles are not the same.

For most contained civil matters under $50,000 with organized facts, the pro se filing package gets you the documents you need at a fraction of the cost of full representation. If the matter develops complexity that justifies bringing in counsel, you can substitute in an attorney later by separate engagement.

I describe this in detail at intake. If your matter is not a good fit for pro se, I will say so and recommend either limited-scope hourly work or a full-representation referral.

The pro se litigant's checklist.

The price is low because you do the procedural work. Going in clear-eyed about that is the difference between a successful pro se filing and a costly mistake. Here is the full list of what you own:

• Calendar every deadline. Statute of limitations (typically 4 years for written contracts under CCP section 337, 2 years for oral contracts under CCP section 339, 3 years for fraud and statutory penalties under CCP section 338, with many exceptions). Defendant's responsive pleading deadline (30 days after service under CCP section 412.20). Case-management conference dates. Discovery cut-offs. Motion deadlines. I provide a deadline overview at the post-filing call, but the obligation to track them is yours.
• File the documents. Upload to GreenFiling or the local e-filing portal, pay the filing fee, receive and save the conformed copy.
• Effectuate service of process. Hire a process server through One Legal or an equivalent service. Serve the summons and complaint on each defendant within the time required by CCP section 583.210. File the proof of service.
• Attend every hearing. Case-management conferences, motions, trial-setting conferences, mandatory settlement conferences, and trial. You appear in person or remotely as the court requires.
• Respond to discovery. Form interrogatories, special interrogatories, requests for production, requests for admission, depositions. Response deadlines (typically 30 days plus mailing extensions) are strict. Missed deadlines can produce sanctions or deemed admissions. You can hire me on an hourly basis to help, but the deadline is yours to track.
• Send and respond to meet-and-confer letters. California requires good-faith meet-and-confer correspondence before many motions. This is correspondence between you and opposing counsel.
• Conduct settlement negotiations. You evaluate offers, you draft counter-offers, you accept or reject. Opposing counsel calls and emails go to you, not to me.
• Try the case if it does not settle. Including jury selection, opening statement, examination of witnesses, evidence admission, closing argument, jury instructions, and verdict-form handling. The vast majority of California civil matters settle before trial. A small percentage do not. If yours is in that small percentage, you should know that before filing.
• Comply with court orders. Every court order is an obligation. Missed compliance can produce contempt, sanctions, or case-terminating orders.

I will not surprise you with this list after you pay. We discuss the obligations at intake, and the scope agreement names them explicitly so the boundary is clear.

The portals you will use to file and serve.

Most California civil filings go through one of two private portals that connect to court systems. You will use whichever your superior court has contracted with.

GreenFiling (greenfiling.com) is the most common e-filing portal across California superior courts. You upload your PDF documents, choose the case type, pay the filing fee with a credit card, and receive a conformed-copy PDF back with the case number printed on it once the clerk accepts the filing. Conformed copies typically come back within hours during business days, sometimes longer for first-filing rejections. The package includes a walkthrough of every screen.

One Legal (onelegal.com) is used both for e-filing in some courts and primarily for service of process. You input the defendants' addresses, pay for service, and One Legal dispatches a registered California process server to deliver the documents. After service is effected, One Legal returns a signed Proof of Service that you file with the court.

Court-specific direct portals. Some California courts (Los Angeles, San Francisco) operate their own e-filing systems or contract with multiple vendors. The package includes the specific portal walkthrough for the court where you will file.

Service of process basics.

• Service must be by personal delivery to the defendant, sub-service on an authorized agent, or substituted service under CCP section 415.20 if personal service fails.
• Service on a corporation goes to the registered agent for service (found on the California Secretary of State's bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov portal).
• Service has to be completed within 3 years of filing under CCP section 583.210, but realistically within 60 days for most matters to avoid case-management problems.
• Out-of-state service requires compliance with the destination state's service rules, often involving certified mail or a process server in that state.
• Service on an out-of-country defendant typically requires Hague Convention compliance, which can take months. This is a sign your matter may have outgrown a pro se posture.

I include specific guidance on how to serve your named defendants based on what you tell me about them at intake.

What you pay the court and the expected timing.

Court filing fees are separate from my package fee. You pay them when you file. As of the current Government Code section 70611 fee schedule, the standard amounts are:

Fees change. I verify the current amounts at the destination court before you file. Some counties add small county-specific surcharges. Fee waivers are available under California Government Code section 68631 if you meet the income or hardship criteria. Form FW-001 is the application. I include the fee-waiver instructions in the package if your situation suggests eligibility.

Typical case timeline.

• Filing day. Documents uploaded, fee paid, conformed copy returned. Case number assigned.
• Service window. Personal service on defendants within 30 to 60 days for most matters. Proof of service filed.
• Defendant response. 30 days after service (CCP section 412.20). Answer, demurrer, motion to strike, or motion to quash are common responses.
• Initial case-management conference. Typically 120 to 180 days after filing.
• Discovery period. 6 to 18 months depending on case complexity and court scheduling.
• Trial or settlement. Most cases settle. Trial-setting conferences happen 12 to 24 months after filing in most California superior courts; trial follows in 6 to 12 more months.

These are typical ranges, not commitments. Court calendars vary significantly across California superior courts. Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles tend to be slowest; smaller-county courts can be faster.