California Form CV 71 – Fill Out and Use This PDF

The California CV-71 form serves as a civil cover sheet for cases filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. It is a crucial document that captures a comprehensive overview of the litigation, including information about plaintiffs, defendants, the basis of jurisdiction, nature of the suit, and more, aimed to facilitate the court’s management of cases. For those preparing to engage in a legal proceeding within this jurisdiction, completing the CV-71 form accurately is a vital first step. Click the button below to understand how to properly fill out the form.

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California Form CV-71 PDF Details

California Form CV-71 is the Civil Cover Sheet for the United States District Court, Central District of California. Attorneys and self-represented parties must file this form with every new civil complaint.

The form covers six key areas:

Parties and attorneys: Full names of all plaintiffs and defendants, and the contact information for each party's attorney, or a note that the party is self-represented.

Basis of jurisdiction: The legal ground for federal court authority over the case, such as a federal question, diversity of citizenship, or US government involvement.

Nature of suit: A numeric code from the form's classification table that describes the type of legal claim and determines how the case is tracked and assigned.

Cause of action: The specific US statute under which the claim arises, plus a one-sentence statement of the legal claim.

Related cases: Any other cases pending in the same court that share parties, facts, or legal questions with the current filing.

Venue: The California county where the action arose or where the defendants reside, confirming that the Central District is the proper venue.

Completing Form CV-71 accurately helps the court assign the case to the correct division and confirms the filing meets all procedural requirements from the start.

Question	Answer
Form Name	California Form CV-71
Form Length	2 pages
Fillable?	No
Fillable fields	0
Avg. time to fill out	30 sec
Other names	CV-71, Civil Cover Sheet, Central District of California, USDC CV-71

How to Edit California Form Cv 71 Online for Free

Use the free FormsPal editor to fill out California Form CV-71 online. This federal civil cover sheet is required with every new civil complaint filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California. Follow the steps below to complete each section correctly.

Step 1: Enter party and attorney information

Go to Section I and list all plaintiffs, then all defendants. If a party is self-represented (pro se), mark that box. For each party who has an attorney, enter the attorney's full name, state bar number, firm address, phone number, and email address.

Section I party and attorney fields on California Form CV-71

Step 2: Mark the basis of jurisdiction

In Section II, select the box that explains why the case belongs in federal court. Common choices are federal question jurisdiction (a US statute or constitutional right is at issue) or diversity of citizenship (parties from different states, damages over $75,000). For diversity cases, also enter the citizenship of each principal party in this section.

Section II jurisdiction checkboxes on California Form CV-71

Step 3: Choose the nature of suit code

Section VII lists case type codes organized by category. Find the code that best fits your claim, such as a civil rights matter, contract dispute, personal injury tort, or intellectual property case. Enter that number in the designated box. The court uses this code to assign the case to the correct judge and division.

Section VII nature of suit codes on California Form CV-71

Step 4: Describe the cause of action and check jury demand

Section VI asks for the US statute your claim arises under and a brief statement of the cause. Write the statute citation, then add one sentence describing the claim. Keep it factual and concise. In Section VIII, mark whether you are requesting a jury trial and whether the case involves a class action under Rule 23.

Step 5: Disclose related cases and confirm venue

Still in Section VIII, state whether any related cases are currently pending in the court. Related cases share common parties, facts, or legal questions. If related cases exist, list their case numbers. Then go to Section IX and identify the California county where the action arose or where the defendants reside. This confirms that the Central District of California is the correct venue.

Sections VIII and IX for related cases and venue on California Form CV-71

Step 6: Sign and file the form

The attorney of record or the self-represented party must sign and date Section X before filing. Review all completed fields for accuracy. Click Done in the editor, then download the finished CV-71. Submit it together with your civil complaint at the clerk's office of the US District Court, Central District of California.

Signature and date fields in Section X of California Form CV-71

Related civil court forms

If you need other forms for a federal or state court filing, FormsPal also provides the domestic civil action cover sheet, the AO 440 summons form, the US Courts Form 271, and the California civil form. For civil cover sheets in other states, see the North Carolina civil cover sheet and the Massachusetts civil cover sheet.

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