CACB — TCG Supplement 9004-1: Form and Format of Documents to be Filed, Lodged, or Served

Source: https://www.cacb.uscourts.gov/sites/cacb/files/documents/the-central-guide/TCGSupp9004-1_Form-and-Format-of-Documents-to-be-Filed.pdf

The Central Guide Supplement to LBR 9004-1

Form and Format of

Documents to be Filed or Lodged

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

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The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

Documents Filed or Lodged After Case Commencement [LBR 9004-1]

(a) Case and Adversary Proceeding Numbers. A bankruptcy case number
consists of a one-digit divisional office code, a two-digit year of filing, a two-
character case type, five additional digits, and a two-character judge
designation. For example, 2:19-bk-54321-VZ is a case filed in the Los
Angeles Division in 2019, followed by the two-character case type, the five-
digit case number; and it is assigned to Judge Vincent Zurzolo. (Example
of an Adversary Case: 2:19-09876-VZ.)

Division One-Digit Code

Los Angeles 2

Riverside 6

Santa Ana 8

Northern 9

San Fernando Valley 1

Judge Code Judge Code

Alan M. Ahart AA Sandra R. Klein SK
Theodor C. Albert TA Robert N. Kwan RK
Martin R. Barash MB Geraldine Mund GM
Neil W. Bason NB Magdalena Reyes Bordeaux RB
Sheri Bluebond BB Ernest M. Robles ER
Julia W. Brand WB Barry Russell BR
Scott C. Clarkson SC Deborah J. Saltzman DS
Ronald A. Clifford III RC Erithe A. Smith ES
Mark D. Houle MH Maureen A. Tighe MT
Wayne Johnson WJ Scott H. Yun SY
Victoria S. Kaufman VK Vincent P. Zurzolo VZ

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

(b) Form and Format of Documents to be Filed or Lodged. Unless otherwise expressly provided by the LBRs, such as when filing a court-approved form, a paper document filed or lodged with the court and any exhibit thereto must comply with the following form and format requirements:

(1) Legibility. Unless otherwise approved by the court, a paper
document submitted for filing must be typewritten and it must be
legibly printed in black or dark blue ink. All pages must be clear and
legible, including written text, charts, photographs, and other images,
so that due process provisions (i.e. notice and relief requested) and
other information can be readily found and understood.

(2) Paper.

(A) Size and Quality.

(i) Documents Filed Electronically. Individual pages of
documents shall not exceed 8.5 X 11 inches. A
CM/ECF User should check the page size prior to
attempting to upload the PDF in the CM/ECF system.
PDF files with pages exceeding the 8.5 X 11 inch limit
must be modified before uploading according to
CM/ECF Procedures. See section 1-09 of The Central
Guide, then section 1-5 of the TCG Supplement.

(ii) Documents Filed at Intake Window. The original paper
document must be submitted on paper that is opaque,
unglazed, 8.5 X 11 inches in size, not less than 20
pounds in weight, and capable of producing a good
quality image when scanned using the court’s
equipment and software. Coated, glossy, bond, card
stock, onion skin, lightweight or oversized paper can
cause paper jams and may not be used.

(B) Numbered Margins.

(i) Required. Numbered margins are required for
documents generated by a party, such as a motion,
response, reply, declaration, stipulation, adversary
complaint, etc. The paper must be numbered on the
left margin with not more than 28 lines per page. The
lines on each page must be numbered consecutively.

(ii) Not Required. Numbered margins are not required on
court- approved forms. They are also not required on
exhibits filed in support of a motion, response, reply,
declaration, etc.

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

(C) Typeface. The typeface must not be smaller than 12 point unless it is in a petition package or other court-approved form. As an example, this is 12-point type. Required typefaces are Arial, Courier, Times New Roman, Helvetica, Geneva or Letter Gothic. Font sizes smaller than 12 point may not be legible after imaging and must not be used. Line 1 must begin at least 1 inch below the top edge of the paper.

(D) Interlineation. No interlineation is allowed on a document
unless the interlineations are noted by the clerk or the judge
by marginal initials at the time of the filing.

(E) Print on One Side Only. All pages of each document
(including exhibits) must be printed on only one side of the
paper. Two sided exhibits must be copied and filled with text
print on one side of each page. Any document larger or
smaller than an 8.5 X 11 inch size must be reduced or
enlarge to be 8.5 X 11 inch, but must be clear and legible
after it is reduced.

(F) Spacing. Except as provided herein, the typing or printing on
documents must be double-spaced, including citations.
Footnotes may be single-spaced but the font must not be
less than 12 point. Real property descriptions may be single-
spaced. Quotations from cited cases or other authorities
must be clearly indented not less than 5 spaces or more than
20 spaces and may be single-spaced if the quotation is 50 or
more words.

(G) Page Numbering at Bottom of Pages. All documents must
be numbered consecutively at the bottom of each page,
including any attached exhibits. A reference to an exhibit in
a document must include the consecutive page numbers of
the exhibit.

(H) Identifying and Separating Exhibits and Other Attached
Documents.

(i) Identification.

I. Declarations. It should be clear from the label
or tab who is the declarant.

II. Exhibits. Exhibits must be placed in sequential
order. Whenever feasible, exhibits of plaintiffs

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

or movants must be marked with numbers, and exhibits of defendants or respondent must be marked with letters.

(ii) Separation.

I. Original Document to be Filed.

(aa) Documents Electronically Filed. The
version of each declaration, exhibit or
other attachment that is filed
electronically via CM/ECF must be
separated by a separator sheet that
contains a label identifying the
declaration, exhibit or other attachment.

(bb) Documents Not Electronically Filed.
Each declaration, exhibit, or other
attachment to an original of a document
must be separated by a separator sheet
printed on white, letter size (8½ x 11
inches), unglazed, opaque, paper of
medium weight. Unless the physical
nature of the exhibit makes it
impracticable, an exhibit, declaration or
other attachment must be securely
bound with a binder clip or clamp to the
document to which it relates.

II. Judge’s Copy. Each declaration, exhibit or
other attachment to a Judge’s copy must be
tabbed and bound to the main document with a
staple or prong fastener (not a paper clip or
binder clip)

(3) Originals, Copies, Telecopies, and E-mails.

(A) Documents Electronically Filed. The original of any document
that is filed electronically via CM/ECF, including the original
signature of the attorney, party, or declarant, must be
maintained by the filing party for 5 years after the conclusion
of the case, including any applicable appeal period, subject to
being produced upon reasonable notice.

(B) Documents Filed at Intake Window. The original of a paper
filed at the clerk’s office intake window must be labeled as the
original and, except for exhibits, must consist entirely of the

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

original pages, except that a telecopy or email of all or part of a document (or copy of such telecopy or email) may be filed and served instead of the original of a document, provided that the telecopy or email meets the legibility requirement set forth in subsection (b)(1) of this rule.

(4) Assembly of Documents Not Electronically Filed. Original
documents and a Judge’s copy must be assembled in compliance
with the following guidelines, to allow for scanning by court staff:

(A) Multi-Paged Originals. When a document is filed at the intake
window, original multi-page documents must not be hole
punched or bound by staples, prong fasteners or standard
metal or plastic paper clips that puncture the paper. Original
multi-page documents must be bound at the top left corner
with binder clips or clamps. A paper presented for filing must
be flat and unfolded to facilitate scanning.

(B) Conformed Copies - Limited. If an additional copy is provided,
the clerk’s office will conform and return one copy of a
document if the document was filed at an intake window or by
mail (self-addressed stamped envelope required)

(C) Judge’s Copy. A Judge’s copy of multi-page documents must
be fastened with a single staple in the upper left-hand corner
or a prong fastener that keeps all pages together.

(D) No Blue Backs. Documents must not be “blue-backed.”

(c) Caption and Format of Title Page.

(1) The First Page of a Document to be Filed or Lodged Must Include:

(A) Attorney. The name, state bar identification number, law firm
name, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail
address, if any, of the attorney presenting the document for
filing must be displayed commencing with line 1 at the left
margin. If the party is not represented by counsel, the name,
address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail
address, if any, of the party presenting the document for filing
must be displayed commencing with line 1 at the left margin.
The actual street address must be disclosed in addition to
any post office box address. Immediately beneath, the party
on whose behalf the document is presented must be
identified. This information must be single-spaced.

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

(B) Clerk’s Space. The space between lines 1 and 7 to the right of the center of the page must be left blank for use by the clerk.

(C) Title of Court. The title of the court, including the division,
must be centered on or below line 8.

(D) Names of Parties. The names of the parties must be placed
below the title of the court and to the left of center and single-
spaced. If the parties are too numerous, the names may be
continued on the second or successive pages in the same
space. In an adversary proceeding, for all documents filed
after the complaint or other document that names a new
party, only the names of the first-named party on each side
need appear; and, if lengthy, those names may be
abbreviated.

(E) Bankruptcy Case Number. The bankruptcy case number
must be placed to the right of the center of the page
immediately opposite the names of the parties on the first
page. Case numbers must be consistent with the following
example: 2:19-bk-54321-VZ, with the first number being the
location of the division in which the case was filed (e.g., San
Fernando Valley: 1, Los Angeles: 2, Riverside: 6, Santa Ana:
8, Santa Barbara: 9), the two numbers after the colon
representing the last two digits of the year in which the case
was filed, a two-character case type (bk for bankruptcy case,
ap for adversary case) and the third set of numbers following
the first dash representing the 5-digit case number followed
by the initials of the bankruptcy judge assigned to the case.

(F) Chapter Number. The chapter number of the case must
appear immediately below the case number.

(G) Adversary Number. The adversary number, if any, must
appear immediately below the case number and chapter
number (e.g., 2:19-ap-9876-VZ).

(H) Title. On the first page immediately below the adversary or chapter number or the caption, there must be a concise title of the document (e.g., Notice of Motion for Summary Judgment, Complaint to Determine Dischargeability of Debt). When a document contains multiple pleadings (for example, an answer to a complaint and a counterclaim or cross claim), all pleadings contained in the document must be listed in the caption. Where possible, the proponent’s name should be included in the title of the document (e.g., Creditor ABC’s Motion to Dismiss).

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

Hearing. The time, date, and place of the hearing on the matter to which the document is addressed must appear immediately below the title or, if appropriate, a statement that no hearing is required or that a hearing will be scheduled by the court. All information required in subsections (c)(5) through (9) of this rule must always appear on the first page of the document.

(I) Sample caption of Motion:

In re ABC, ) Case
) No.
)
) Chapter
Debtor. )
) MOTION FOR ORDER
) GRANTING SALE OF REAL
) PROPERTY
)
) Hearing:
) Date:
) Time:
) Place: Ctrm _____
) (Address of Courthouse)
)

(J) Sample caption of Order:

In re ABC, ) Case
) No.
)
) Chapter
Debtor. )
) ORDER RE MOTION FOR
) ORDER GRANTING SALE OF
) REAL PROPERTY
)
) Hearing:
) Date:
) Time:
) Place: Ctrm _____
) (Address of Courthouse)
)

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022

2. Adversary Proceedings. A complaint or other document filed in an adversary proceeding must bear a “double caption” in substantially the following format: In re ABC, ) Case ) No. ) Debtor. ) Chapter ) ) XYZ Co., ) Adv. No. Plaintiff, ) ) ) COMPLAINT TO DETERMINE ) NONDISCHARGEABILITY OF ) DEBT vs. ) ) ABC, ) Defendant, ) (Hearing date to be set by summons) 3. Small Business Cases or Subchapter V. A document filed in a case that has been designated a small business case under FRBP 1020 must bear a legend stating that the case is subject to FRBP 1020. A document filed in a chapter 11 Subchapter V case must bear a legend stating that the case is subject to Subchapter V of the Bankruptcy Code. The legend must appear to the right of the caption immediately below the case number in substantially the following format: In re ABC, ) Case No. ) ) Chapter Debtor. ) ) SMALL BUSINESS CASE UNDER ) FRBP 1020 ) ) or ) ) Subchapter V Case )

The Central Guide Supplement 9004-1 August 2022