California Form APP-009 is the Judicial Council form titled “Appellant’s Notice Designating Record on Appeal (Unlimited Civil Case),” and every appellant in an unlimited civil appeal files it in the superior court that issued the judgment to tell the clerk and reporter exactly which documents and oral proceedings belong in the record sent up to the Court of Appeal. The form drives what the justices will read, so a missed box or skipped deadline can quietly shrink your appeal down to almost nothing.
The current version is APP-009 [Rev. January 1, 2017], and it must be filed within 10 days after filing the notice of appeal under California Rules of Court rule 8.121. The Judicial Council reports that California’s Courts of Appeal received over 9,000 civil notices of appeal in a recent year, and clerks routinely flag APP-009 errors as a top reason records get returned for correction before transmission.
- 📄 What APP-009 actually is and which appeals require it
- 🗓️ The 10-day filing window and what triggers waiver of the reporter’s transcript
- ✍️ A line-by-line walk through every box, item, and signature block
- 👥 Three real filer scenarios from pro se appellants to seasoned attorneys
- ⚠️ The most common mistakes that shrink your record and sink your appeal
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
Form APP-009 is the official notice an appellant uses in an unlimited civil case to designate the clerk’s transcript and the reporter’s transcript that will become the record on appeal. The form lives inside rules 8.120 through 8.137 of the California Rules of Court, and it tells the superior court clerk which filed documents to copy and the court reporter which hearings to transcribe. Without APP-009 on file, the clerk has no authority to assemble a record, and the Court of Appeal has nothing to review.
Every appellant in an unlimited civil case (a case where the amount in controversy exceeds $35,000 under Code of Civil Procedure section 88) files this form. Unlimited civil appeals include contract disputes, real property cases, personal injury verdicts above the limited threshold, and most family law and probate appeals. Limited civil appellants use Form APP-003 instead, which routes to the appellate division of the superior court rather than the Court of Appeal.
The form is not optional, and skipping it has real consequences. If you do nothing, rule 8.124(a)(2) permits the respondent to designate the clerk’s transcript instead, and you may lose any reporter’s transcript entirely. A common misconception is that filing the notice of appeal alone preserves the full trial record; it does not, and the California Courts Self-Help appeals page makes that point repeatedly to pro se filers.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gather everything before you open the PDF, because APP-009 references case numbers, hearing dates, and reporter names that must match the superior court’s records exactly. A 10-minute prep session here saves a rejected designation later.
- Your filed notice of appeal. Your APP-009 must reference the same case caption and number, and the 10-day clock under rule 8.121(a) starts the day you filed it.
- Superior court case number. Without the exact number, the clerk cannot locate your file, and your designation can be rejected at intake.
- Court of Appeal district and division (if assigned). The Court of Appeal sometimes assigns a docket number quickly, and including it helps the clerk transmit the record to the right place.
- A complete list of hearing dates with reporters’ names. Rule 8.130(b)(3) requires you to identify each proceeding by date and the reporter who took it, and a missing date means a missing transcript.
- Filed-document list with file dates. Item 4 of the clerk’s transcript designation requires exact filing dates so the clerk can pull the correct version of every motion, order, and pleading.
- Estimated reporter’s transcript deposit (or fee waiver). Under rule 8.130(b)(1), you must deposit the estimated cost or file Form FW-001, or your reporter’s transcript request is voided.
- Proof of service form. Either APP-009-INFO guidance or POS-040 is required to show the respondent received the designation.
- Any rule 8.130 stipulations. If you and the respondent agreed to limit or share transcript costs, attach the stipulation so the reporter honors it.
- Your contact information and email for e-service. California courts default to electronic service under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6, and a wrong email delays every notice that follows.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official form lives on the Judicial Council’s site as a fillable PDF at the APP-009 form page, and an instruction packet sits at APP-009-INFO. Always download fresh; old PDFs cached on your computer may use a superseded revision date and can be rejected by clerks who scan for the current footer.
You can also pick up a paper copy at the filing window of any superior court clerk’s office, including the major civil hubs at the Los Angeles Superior Court, the San Francisco Superior Court, and the San Diego Superior Court. County self-help centers usually keep printed copies and will hand you APP-009-INFO alongside it without asking.
For e-filing, most counties route through one of three vendors: TrueFiling, File & ServeXpress, or Odyssey eFileCA. Confirm your county’s vendor on its court website, because filing through the wrong portal returns the document unfiled and the 10-day clock keeps running. The Judicial Council’s e-filing overview lists which courts mandate e-filing for represented parties.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out APP-009 Line by Line
The form has a caption block, six numbered items, a signature line, and a proof-of-service requirement. Work top to bottom, and never skip an item even if it seems to repeat your notice of appeal.
Caption Box: Attorney or Party Without Attorney
This top-left box asks for your full name, State Bar number (if any), firm name, address, telephone, fax, and email. Type or print in clear block letters and use the same name format that appears on your notice of appeal.
For example, Maria Lopez, In Pro Per, 1428 Elm Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 555-0144, maria.lopez@email.com fills the box cleanly. If you are an attorney, write your full name, then State Bar No. 234567, then the firm.
A nuance: if you use a P.O. Box, list it on the second address line and put a physical address on the first only if the court requires service to a residence; many appellate clerks accept a P.O. Box as the sole address. The most common mistake is leaving the email blank, which forfeits e-service notices and can cause you to miss the record-completion notice. A frequent misconception is that this caption is informational only; in reality, the address here becomes the court’s address of record for the entire appeal until you file a Notice of Change of Address (Form MC-040).
Caption Box: Superior Court of California, County of ____
Write the county where the judgment was entered, not the county where you live. The case caption, plaintiff and defendant names, and the trial court case number all go in this block exactly as they appear on your judgment.
For instance, County of Los Angeles, with Smith v. Acme Corp., Case No. 22STCV01234 below, mirrors what appears on the underlying judgment. Use upper and lower case the same way the original caption does.
A nuance arises in consolidated cases: list the lead case number first, then any consolidated numbers separated by commas. The most common mistake is using the appellate case number here instead of the trial court number, which causes the clerk to reject the designation because the trial court file is searched by trial court number. A common misconception is that you must list every co-party; you only list the named parties as they appear on the judgment caption.
Item 1: Notice of Appeal Filing Date
Item 1 confirms the date you filed your notice of appeal. This date anchors the 10-day APP-009 deadline under rule 8.121(a), and it tells the clerk which appeal this designation belongs to.
Write the date in MM/DD/YYYY format. 03/14/2026 is a clean entry, and matching the file-stamped date on your notice of appeal is essential.
A nuance: if you filed the notice of appeal by mail and it was stamped a day later than you mailed it, use the file-stamped date, not the mailing date, because the clerk’s stamp controls. The most common mistake is guessing the date; if you guess wrong by even a day, the clerk may flag your APP-009 as untimely. A misconception is that the appeal-filing date and the judgment date are interchangeable—they are not, and only the notice-of-appeal date belongs in Item 1.
Item 2: Record of Written Documents (Clerk’s Transcript Election)
Item 2 is where you choose how the clerk’s transcript will be assembled. You pick exactly one of four options: a clerk’s transcript under rule 8.122, an appendix under rule 8.124, the original superior court file under rule 8.128, or an agreed statement under rule 8.134.
Check only one box. For instance, a pro se appellant uncertain about appendix preparation often checks Clerk’s Transcript and writes I elect to use a clerk’s transcript under rule 8.122.
A nuance: the appendix method shifts the cost and labor of assembling documents to you, but it speeds the appeal up by months in busy counties. The most common mistake is checking two boxes—doing so makes the election ambiguous, and clerks will return the form for correction. A common misconception is that the agreed statement is “easier”; it requires the respondent’s written agreement under rule 8.134(a), which respondents rarely provide.
Item 4: Documents to Be Included in the Clerk’s Transcript
If you elected a clerk’s transcript in Item 2, Item 4 is where you list every document by title and filing date you want copied into the record. The form includes a default list (notice of appeal, judgment, notice of entry of judgment, notice designating record), but you must add anything else you plan to cite.
List each document on its own line: Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment, filed 06/02/2025, Order Granting Summary Judgment, filed 08/15/2025, Reporter’s Transcript Designation, filed 03/24/2026. Use the exact title shown on the file-stamped first page.
A nuance: jury instructions, verdict forms, and trial exhibits admitted into evidence must be listed expressly, or the clerk will not include them. The most common mistake is forgetting the Notice of Entry of Judgment, which the Court of Appeal needs to confirm timeliness; missing it can trigger an order to show cause for dismissal. A misconception is that “everything in the file” comes up automatically—the clerk only copies what you list, plus the four mandatory items in rule 8.122(b)(1).
Item 4(b): Exhibits to Be Included
Subitem 4(b) lets you designate trial exhibits that were admitted, refused, or lodged. List exhibit numbers and a short description so the clerk pulls the right items from the exhibits room.
A clean entry reads Exhibit 12 — Lease Agreement dated 01/01/2020, Exhibit 27 — Email chain Smith to Jones, Exhibit A (Defendant) — Photograph of premises. Match the exhibit list used at trial.
A nuance: exhibits are not automatically transmitted; under rule 8.224, you must also serve a separate Notice to Designate Original Exhibits within 10 days after the record is filed in the Court of Appeal. The most common mistake is listing exhibits here and then skipping the rule 8.224 notice, which leaves the exhibits in the trial court’s basement. A misconception is that exhibits can be added later “if needed”; once the record is certified, adding exhibits requires a motion to augment under rule 8.155.
Item 5: Record of Oral Proceedings (Reporter’s Transcript Election)
Item 5 covers oral proceedings. You choose among a reporter’s transcript under rule 8.130, an agreed statement, a settled statement under rule 8.137, or “I elect to proceed WITHOUT a record of the oral proceedings.”
If you elect a reporter’s transcript, check 5(a)(1) and proceed to 5(a)(2)–(5) to list the hearings. Check 5(a)(1) and list the trial dates 09/08/2025 through 09/12/2025, reporter Jane Doe, CSR No. 12345 is a typical entry.
A nuance: if no court reporter was present (small motion calendars often go unreported), you cannot get a reporter’s transcript and must use a settled statement instead under rule 8.137. The most common mistake is checking 5(a) without depositing the estimated reporter fee under rule 8.130(b)(1); the request is then void and the appeal proceeds without testimony. A misconception is that proceeding “without a record” is fine for sufficiency-of-evidence challenges; in fact, Foust v. San Jose Construction Co. (2011) 198 Cal.App.4th 181 confirms the appeal will be treated as a “judgment roll” appeal where evidentiary errors are presumed harmless.
Item 5(a)(2): Specific Proceedings to Be Transcribed
Subitem 5(a)(2) lists each hearing date you want transcribed. List the date, department, type of proceeding, and the reporter’s name and CSR number.
For example, 09/08/2025, Dept. 47, Jury Trial Day 1, Reporter Jane Doe CSR 12345; 09/09/2025, Dept. 47, Jury Trial Day 2, same reporter. Repeat for every day.
A nuance: if multiple reporters covered the same trial, list each by name and the dates each covered. The most common mistake is omitting motion-in-limine hearings or post-trial motion hearings, which can be the very rulings you want to challenge; once omitted, you cannot cite them in your opening brief. A misconception is that “the trial” is one entry; the form treats every separate court date as a discrete proceeding.
Item 5(a)(4): Deposit or Waiver
Subitem 5(a)(4) is where you confirm the deposit. Check the box that matches what you did: deposit the estimated cost, attach the reporter’s written waiver, or attach an order granting a fee waiver.
A typical entry checks deposit attached with a $1,800 check, or checks fee waiver with Form FW-001 attached.
A nuance: the reporter sets the estimate after you serve the designation; if you cannot pay, file FW-001 immediately to avoid the void-request rule. The most common mistake is treating the deposit as optional—under rule 8.130(b)(1), failure to deposit within 10 days of the reporter’s estimate voids the designation. A misconception is that a trial-level fee waiver carries up automatically; you must file a fresh FW-001 for the appeal.
Item 6: Signature
Item 6 is the date and signature line. Sign the same way you signed the notice of appeal, print your name beneath, and date the form.
For instance, Date: 03/24/2026 — /s/ Maria Lopez — Maria Lopez, Appellant in Pro Per satisfies the line.
A nuance: e-filed APP-009s use a conformed “/s/” signature under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6(b)(2), and the original signed copy must be retained for the appeal’s duration. The most common mistake is dating the form the same day as the notice of appeal but filing it three weeks later; that mismatch invites a timeliness challenge. A misconception is that an attorney’s signature waives the appellant’s right to sign personally; either signature is valid, but only one is needed.
Proof of Service
Every APP-009 needs a proof of service showing the respondent received it. Use POS-040 or attach a separate proof.
List the respondent’s attorney name and address (or the respondent’s address if pro se), the method of service (mail, personal, electronic), and the date served. Served by email on respondent’s counsel John Roe, Esq., john@roelaw.com, on 03/24/2026 is a complete entry.
A nuance: under rule 8.78, service in the Court of Appeal is governed by appellate rules, but APP-009 is filed in the trial court and follows trial-court service rules. The most common mistake is filing APP-009 without proof of service attached; clerks reject the filing or note the defect, and the respondent gets ammunition for a motion to strike. A misconception is that e-filing the form auto-serves it; the e-filing portal serves only parties registered for e-service in that case.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
The three scenarios below show how different filers complete APP-009 from caption to signature.
Scenario 1: Maria Lopez, Pro Se Appellant Choosing a Clerk’s Transcript Only
Maria represented herself in a breach-of-contract trial in Sacramento Superior Court and lost a $112,000 judgment. She wants the cheapest, simplest record possible.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption — Party | Maria Lopez, In Pro Per, 1428 Elm Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, maria.lopez@email.com |
| Caption — Court | Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento |
| Caption — Case | Lopez v. BuildRight Inc., Case No. 34-2024-00012345 |
| Item 1 — Notice of Appeal Date | 03/14/2026 |
| Item 2 — Record Type | Checks Clerk’s Transcript under rule 8.122 |
| Item 4 — Documents | Lists complaint filed 02/01/2024, answer filed 03/15/2024, MSJ ruling filed 11/20/2025, judgment filed 02/12/2026, notice of entry filed 02/20/2026 |
| Item 5 — Oral Proceedings | Checks reporter’s transcript and lists MSJ hearing 11/05/2025, trial 02/02/2026 to 02/05/2026, Reporter Linda Park CSR 88123 |
| Item 5(a)(4) — Deposit | Checks fee waiver and attaches FW-001 |
| Item 6 — Signature | 03/24/2026, /s/ Maria Lopez |
| Proof of Service | POS-040, served by mail on respondent’s counsel 03/24/2026 |
Scenario 2: Carlos Reyes, Attorney Using the Appendix Method with a Reporter’s Transcript
Carlos represents an appellant business in an unfair-competition appeal out of Santa Clara County. He wants speed, so he elects the appendix method to skip the clerk’s transcript wait.
| Form Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption — Attorney | Carlos Reyes, State Bar No. 245678, Reyes Appellate Group, 100 Market St, San Jose, CA 95113 |
| Caption — Court | Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara |
| Caption — Case | NorthStar LLC v. Pacific Trade Co., Case No. 23CV409876 |
| Item 1 — Notice of Appeal Date | 04/02/2026 |
| Item 2 — Record Type | Checks Appendix under rule 8.124 |
| Item 4 — Documents | Marks N/A — appendix elected |
| Item 5 — Oral Proceedings | Checks reporter’s transcript, lists bench trial 01/12/2026 to 01/16/2026, Reporter Aiden Choi CSR 14502 |
| Item 5(a)(4) — Deposit | Cashier’s check $4,200 attached |
| Item 6 — Signature | 04/10/2026, /s/ Carlos Reyes |
| Proof of Service | Electronic service via TrueFiling 04/10/2026 on respondent’s counsel |
Scenario 3: Janet Williams, Appellant Using a Settled Statement Because No Reporter Was Present
Janet appeals a probate ruling from San Diego Superior Court, but the contested motion was heard on a calendar where no reporter was present. She must use a settled statement under rule 8.137.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption — Party | Janet Williams, In Pro Per, P.O. Box 4421, San Diego, CA 92101 |
| Caption — Court | Superior Court of California, County of San Diego |
| Caption — Case | Estate of Williams, Case No. 37-2024-00098765-PR |
| Item 1 — Notice of Appeal Date | 05/01/2026 |
| Item 2 — Record Type | Checks Clerk’s Transcript under rule 8.122 |
| Item 4 — Documents | Petition filed 06/15/2024, objection filed 07/30/2024, order filed 04/12/2026, notice of entry filed 04/18/2026 |
| Item 5 — Oral Proceedings | Checks Settled Statement under rule 8.137 and attaches Proposed Statement of Issues and Proceedings |
| Item 5(a)(4) — Deposit | N/A — no reporter’s transcript |
| Item 6 — Signature | 05/09/2026, /s/ Janet Williams |
| Proof of Service | POS-040, served by mail on respondent’s counsel 05/09/2026 |
How to File the Completed Form
You file APP-009 in the superior court that issued the judgment, not in the Court of Appeal. The court charges no separate filing fee for APP-009 itself, though the reporter’s deposit is paid to the reporter or the clerk’s office depending on county rules under rule 8.130(b)(1).
E-filing. Most counties now mandate e-filing for represented parties under local rules, and pro se filers may opt in. Use TrueFiling for Fresno, Sacramento, and many Central Valley counties; File & ServeXpress for complex civil departments; or Odyssey eFileCA for Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange. Processing usually completes within 1–2 court days, and your proof of filing is the courtesy receipt the portal emails.
Mail. Mail the original APP-009 plus one copy and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the superior court clerk’s filing window. Processing takes 5–10 business days, and your proof is the file-stamped copy returned in the SASE.
In person. Walk the form to the civil filing window of the issuing superior court. Bring two copies; the clerk file-stamps both, keeps one, and hands you the other on the spot.
Fax. Few California superior courts accept fax filings for appellate documents; check your county’s local rule before attempting one. If accepted, fax filings follow rule 2.300 et seq. and require a fax cover sheet plus a deposit account.
Pay any reporter’s deposit by cashier’s check, money order, or attorney trust check made payable to the reporter or the clerk’s office. Keep every receipt; the deposit is your only proof if the reporter later claims nonpayment.
What Happens After You File
Once APP-009 is filed and served, the clerk and the court reporter take over. The clerk sends a notice to the reporter and begins assembling the clerk’s transcript under rule 8.122 (or processes your appendix election). The reporter sends you an estimate of transcript costs within 10 days under rule 8.130(b)(1).
You then have 10 days to deposit the estimate or your reporter’s transcript request is voided. The clerk certifies the record under rule 8.150 and transmits it to the Court of Appeal, typically within 30 to 90 days depending on county backlog and trial length.
The Court of Appeal opens the case, issues a docket number, and sends a briefing schedule. Your opening brief is due 40 days after the record is filed under rule 8.212(a)(1). If the record is incomplete, you can move to augment under rule 8.155, but augmentation motions delay briefing and irritate justices.
The respondent may file a counter-designation within 10 days adding documents you omitted, and the clerk includes them at no cost to you. Watch for the Court of Appeal’s “record filed” notice—that single notice starts your brief clock.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Missing the 10-day deadline. Filing APP-009 even one day after the 10-day window runs invites a motion to strike and loss of the reporter’s transcript.
- Using the wrong court. Filing in the Court of Appeal instead of the superior court delays everything by weeks.
- Forgetting the notice-of-entry of judgment. The Court of Appeal needs it to confirm timeliness, and its absence triggers an order to show cause.
- Checking two record-type boxes in Item 2. Ambiguous elections get returned, and the clock keeps running.
- Listing hearings without dates or reporters. Reporters cannot transcribe what they cannot identify; the proceeding gets dropped.
- Skipping the reporter’s deposit. Under rule 8.130(b)(1), no deposit means no transcript, regardless of what you wrote in Item 5.
- Omitting trial exhibits. Exhibits do not transmit unless designated, and a separate rule 8.224 notice is required.
- Using the trial-level fee waiver instead of filing FW-001 anew. A stale waiver is no waiver, and the deposit goes unpaid.
- Filing without proof of service. Clerks may reject the filing or note the defect; either way, the respondent gains leverage.
- Mismatched case numbers. A typo in the case number sends your designation to the wrong file and stalls assembly.
- Forgetting jury instructions and verdict forms. Without them, instructional error claims are nearly impossible to brief.
- Ignoring consolidated case numbers. Listing only the lead case omits records from the consolidated cases.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Do download a fresh copy of APP-009 every time, because cached PDFs may be outdated.
- Do match the caption to your notice of appeal exactly, since clerks reject mismatches.
- Do list every hearing date separately, because the reporter transcribes per date.
- Do deposit the reporter’s estimate by cashier’s check, since personal checks bounce risk voids the request.
- Do keep file-stamped copies of everything, because the appellate court will ask for proof of timely filing.
- Do calendar the 10-day deadline the moment you file the notice of appeal, since the clock is unforgiving.
- Don’t check more than one box in Item 2, because ambiguous elections get returned for correction.
- Don’t assume “the file” comes up automatically, since only listed documents are copied.
- Don’t rely on a stale fee waiver, because each level of court needs its own FW-001.
- Don’t skip the proof of service, since service defects can void the filing.
- Don’t designate proceedings without confirming a reporter was present, because unreported hearings need a settled statement.
- Don’t pay the reporter cash, since you need a paper trail if the deposit is later disputed.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Going pro se on APP-009 is doable but unforgiving; hiring an appellate attorney costs money but eliminates most rejection risks.
Pros of filing on your own:
- Cost savings. Appellate counsel fees range from $5,000 to $25,000 just for the record stage, and pro se filing avoids that cost.
- Speed. You file the moment you decide what record you want, without waiting on counsel’s calendar.
- Direct control. You list exactly the documents and hearings you care about, with no filter.
- Learning curve. Walking through APP-009 builds familiarity with the appellate rules you will use for briefing.
- Self-help support. The California Courts Self-Help center and APP-009-INFO walk you through every box.
Cons of filing on your own:
- Rejection risk. Pro se APP-009s are rejected at higher rates because of formatting and service defects.
- Strategic blindspots. Attorneys know which exhibits and hearings will matter on appeal; pro se filers often guess.
- Deposit estimation. Misreading the reporter’s estimate leads to voided transcript requests.
- Augmentation costs. Fixing an incomplete record later through rule 8.155 motions costs time and credibility.
- Substantive consequence. A “judgment roll” appeal limits review to legal error on the face of the judgment, gutting most appeals.
FAQs
Is APP-009 the same as the notice of appeal?
No. APP-009 is filed after the notice of appeal and designates which documents and transcripts the clerk and reporter assemble for review.
Do I file APP-009 in the Court of Appeal?
No. You file it in the superior court that entered the judgment, and the clerk transmits the record to the Court of Appeal.
Is there a filing fee for APP-009?
No. The form itself has no separate fee, though you must deposit the reporter’s estimated transcript cost or file a fee waiver.
Can I e-file APP-009?
Yes. Most counties accept or require e-filing through TrueFiling, File & ServeXpress, or Odyssey eFileCA, depending on county rules.
Do I need to designate the notice of entry of judgment in Item 4?
Yes. Always list it; without it the Court of Appeal cannot verify your appeal was timely and may issue an order to show cause.
Can I check both clerk’s transcript and appendix in Item 2?
No. You may pick only one record method per Item 2; checking two makes the election ambiguous and gets the form returned.
What if no court reporter was present at my hearing?
No reporter’s transcript is possible, so use a settled statement under rule 8.137 by checking that box in Item 5.
Do I list jury instructions automatically?
No. Jury instructions, verdict forms, and special verdicts must be listed expressly in Item 4 or they will not be copied.
Can I file APP-009 late?
No. It is due within 10 days of filing the notice of appeal, and late filing risks losing the reporter’s transcript and possibly the appeal.
Does my trial-court fee waiver carry over?
No. You must file a fresh FW-001 for the appeal, even if you had a waiver at trial.
Do I list exhibits in Item 4(b) or somewhere else?
Yes, list them in Item 4(b), and also serve a separate rule 8.224 notice within 10 days after the record is filed in the Court of Appeal.
Can the respondent add documents I left out?
Yes. Respondent may file a counter-designation within 10 days, and those documents are added to the clerk’s transcript.
Should I use my maiden name or current name in the caption?
Yes, use whatever name appears on the underlying judgment so the caption matches the trial court file exactly.
What happens if I forget to deposit the reporter’s fee?
No transcript is prepared, your designation in Item 5 is voided under rule 8.130(b)(1), and the appeal proceeds on the clerk’s transcript only.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out California Form APP-002 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form APP-003 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form APP-004 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form APP-005 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form APP-006 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form APP-008 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form CIV-010 (w/Examples) + FAQs