Guides: Summer Clerks Research Guide: Form Books and Templates

Form Books and Templates

Tip: Look for examples at work. If they are available, start with forms, templates, or previous motions on similar issues drafted by your employer.

There are many form books available online and in print. A few of the major titles for federal and California forms are listed below, but there are many more including for other states and focusing on specific practice areas. Your favorite treatise in a topic area may also include some forms.

Some of the major legal research databases also have form finders to help you search for forms across publications by state or practice area. Links to the Westlaw and Lexis+ form finders are on the homepage of each database.

Form Finders

Westlaw Form Finder
LRC Internet: Westlaw login and password required.
Search by jurisdiction or subject, or browse through form books from the West library including American Jurisprudence 2d, West's Federal Forms, Complete Manual of Criminal Forms, and more.
Lexis Advance Form Finder
LRC Internet: Lexis login and password required.
Select your jurisdiction and practice area, then enter search terms to find legal forms from titles including Lexis Judicial Council forms and California Forms of Pleading and Practice.
CEB OnLAW Form Finder
LRC Internet: USDOne login and password required for off-campus database access.
Printable and downloadable attorney-drafted forms with clauses accompanied by explanations and directions from Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB). Use search > form search to limit your search.

Form Books Online and In Print

California forms of pleading and practice annotated by M. Bender
Call Number: KFC1010.A65 C15 (PRINT); LRC Internet (LEXIS)
LRC Reference: Some volumes issued in looseleaf format. Kept up to date by supplements, revised volumes, and pocket parts.
LRC Internet: Lexis login and password required.
California Practice Guide: Civil Procedure Before Trial FORMS by Rutter Group
Call Number: KFC995 .R58 (PRINT); LRC Internet (WESTLAW)
LRC California Room & LRC Clinic: Looseleaf form book updated annually. Adobe Acrobat reader required to view forms on disc.
LRC Internet: Westlaw login and password required.
American Jurisprudence Legal Forms 2d
Call Number: LRC Internet (WESTLAW)
Publication Date: Current through Feb. 2018
A wide-ranging collection of forms and clauses for 273 topics. Westlaw login and password required.
American Jurisprudence Pleading and Practice Forms Annotated
Call Number: LRC Internet (WESTLAW)
Publication Date: Current through the May 2018 Update.
Contains more than 44,000 state and federal practice forms, checklists, and timetables. Westlaw login and password required.