Ch 200 Form – Proof of Personal Service | Fill Out and Use This PDF

Ch 200 Form PDF Details

The Ch 200 form (officially, the CH-200 Proof of Personal Service) is a California Judicial Council document used in civil harassment restraining order proceedings. It provides written documentation that a qualified third-party server personally delivered required legal documents to the respondent (the person from whom protection is sought).

When Should You File the CH-200?

Use the CH-200 after a California Superior Court has granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) or scheduled a hearing date for your civil harassment case. Before the hearing, a server must personally deliver all required legal documents to the respondent. The completed CH-200 records that delivery and must be filed with the court clerk before the scheduled hearing date.

This form is specific to civil harassment cases and does not apply to domestic violence (DV series) or elder abuse (EA series) restraining orders. If you are unsure which form type applies, contact your local California Superior Court self-help center.

Who Qualifies as a Server?

California rules require the server to be at least 18 years of age and not a party to the civil harassment case. The server cannot be the petitioner, respondent, or any other named party. Friends, neighbors, adult relatives, or professional process servers all qualify as long as they are 18 or older and are not named in the case. Some petitioners choose to use a sheriff's office or licensed process server to minimize the risk of service errors.

Documents That Must Be Served

The CH-200 confirms personal delivery of required legal documents, which typically include: the Notice of Court Hearing on Request for Civil Harassment Restraining Orders (CH-109), the Temporary Restraining Order if one was issued, and the CH-120 Response to Request for Civil Harassment Restraining Orders, which allows the respondent to reply. Any additional documents ordered by the jurisdiction must also be included in the service package.

All documents must be delivered together as a complete package. Partial service may not satisfy requirements and could result in a hearing postponement.

Information Required to Complete the CH-200

To fill out the CH-200 accurately, the server must provide the exact date and time of service, the complete address (street, city, and state) where the respondent was served, and the server's full legal name, mailing address, city, state, zip code, and telephone number. All information is declared under penalty of perjury as required in California proceedings.

Filing Deadlines and Procedures

After completing service, the server returns the signed CH-200 to the petitioner. The petitioner files the completed form with the Superior Court clerk before the scheduled hearing. Most California counties require proof of personal service to be filed at least five days before the hearing. Deadlines vary by county, so check with the filing office. Without a timely filed CH-200, the hearing may be postponed until service is properly documented.