Quick Research Guide: Finding Forms

Superior Court Forms

• • Judicial Council Forms:
    These are standardized, fill-in-the blank forms adopted for statewide use in California Superior Courts.  On this site you will find forms needed in a variety of legal actions, including Divorce and other Family Court matters, Name Change, Unlawful Detainer (Eviction), Guardianship/Conservatorship, Probate, Restraining Orders, Small Claims, Traffic, and General Civil.
  • Alameda County Local Forms:
    These local forms have been developed specifically for use in Alameda County Superior Court.

Federal Forms

• • Civil Forms for the Northern District of California 
  • Civil Pro Se forms from USCourts.gov 
  • Legal Self-Help Templates and Form Packets
    The Justice & Diversity Center in San Francisco developed these form templates and instruction packets to help self-represented litigants file lawsuits in the California Northern District Court. Packets Include Complaints, Answers, Motions, and Discovery.
  • Forms and Instructions for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Bankruptcy Court Forms
    These are standardized, fill-in-the blank forms adopted for use in U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, including the California Northern District Bankruptcy Court.  This site features forms petitioners need to file Chapter 7, 11, or 13 bankruptcies.

Recordable & Transactional Forms (Non-Court)

• • Sacramento County Law Library Forms
    These are fillable, recordable and transactional forms and instructions developed by attorneys and librarians at Sacramento County Law Library, and they can be used in all California counties.
  • Alameda County Clerk-Recorder Forms

Online Services containing forms available on the Law Library Research Computers

• Bloomberg Law
  Bloomberg Law contains access to many publications by BNA, James Publishing, and access links to court filings.  In addition, Bloomberg contains an extensive collection of transactional forms, clauses, and checklists.
  • Bloomberg Law is on a standalone computer number 9.
• Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  OnLaw is an online database containing CEB publications.  It has the full text of all CEB treatises and action guides, and forms can be downloaded in MS Word format.  Most of the CEB sources contain pertinent forms at the end of each chapter.
  • OnLaw is available on research computers 1-8 in the main reading room of the law library.
• Gale Legal Forms
  Access a vast collection of official documents, including litigation forms, contracts, checklists & sample letters.  Customize forms for many common legal procedures.    Alameda County Law Library cardholders can access this database from home.  Ask at the reference desk for instructions.
  • Gale Legal Forms is available on research computers 1-8 in the law library.
• Lexis
  Lexis provides users with online access to forms, secondary sources, as well as primary and secondary law for all fifty states and for the federal court.  Users can print, download, or email forms directly from Lexis. Some popular sources for forms include California Forms of Pleading and Practice, California Transactional Forms, Bender’s Federal Practice Forms, and Bender’s Forms of Discovery.
  • Lexis is available on research computers 1-8 in the law library.
• LexisNexis Digital Library
  The LexisNexis Digital Library contains digital copies of the print materials we have published by Lexis.  You can access these books remotely as you would check out eBooks from the public library.  Library card holders can access the LNDL remotely.  Ask at the reference desk for instructions.
  • Within the library, LexisNexis Digital Library is available on research computers 1-8.
• Nolo Press Publications
  Nolo Press helps consumers and small businesses find answers to their everyday legal and business questions.  Current Nolo Press books are available online on the library’s research computers and are also available online for free from the Library’s EBSCO account:
  • User ID: alamedacll / Password: Alameda2026!
• Westlaw
  Westlaw provides users online access to forms, secondary sources, as well as primary and secondary law for all fifty states and for the federal courts.  Users can print, download, or email forms directly from Westlaw.  Westlaw contains several form sets including Rutter Guide California Law and Motion Model Forms, West’s Code Forms, California Transactions Forms, Miller & Starr California Real Estate Forms, and West’s California Code Forms with Commentaries.
  • Westlaw is available on research computers 1-8 in the law library.

Updated 4.10.2026