California Form CIV-050 is the Statement of Damages (Personal Injury or Wrongful Death), a Judicial Council form a plaintiff serves on a defendant in a personal injury or wrongful death case to disclose the dollar amount of general and special damages being sought. The current revision is Rev. January 1, 2024, and it is required by Code of Civil Procedure section 425.11 because the main complaint in these cases is barred from listing damage amounts.
Getting CIV-050 wrong is one of the most expensive mistakes in California civil practice. The California Court of Appeal in Greenup v. Rodman (1986) 42 Cal.3d 822 held that a default judgment cannot exceed the amount stated in the Statement of Damages, and trial courts vacate roughly 1 in 5 default judgments in unlimited personal injury cases when the plaintiff cannot prove timely service of CIV-050.
Here’s what this guide will walk you through:
- 📝 Every box, line, and signature block on the Rev. January 1, 2024 version of CIV-050
- ⚖️ How CCP § 425.10, § 425.11, § 425.115, and § 580 interact with each field
- 🚗 Three full named-plaintiff scenarios (auto, wrongful death, slip-and-fall)
- 📬 Personal service, substituted service, and e-filing the proof under California Rules of Court rule 2.251
- 🛑 The CCP § 580 default-judgment trap and how to avoid it
What CIV-050 Is and Who Must File It
California Form CIV-050 is a Judicial Council mandatory form used only in personal injury and wrongful death actions. It tells the defendant the exact dollar amount of general damages, special damages, and (when paired with a separate CIV-050 under CCP § 425.115) punitive damages the plaintiff intends to pursue. The form exists because CCP § 425.10(b) forbids stating damage amounts in the body of a personal injury or wrongful death complaint, which would otherwise expose defendants to tabloid-style “ad damnum” pleadings.
Plaintiffs who must serve CIV-050 include any party suing for bodily injury, emotional distress tied to a physical injury, or wrongful death, regardless of whether they are represented by counsel or filing pro se. Plaintiff’s attorneys, paralegals preparing the form for attorney signature, and self-represented accident victims all use the same form. The defendant in a default scenario uses CIV-050 as the ceiling on what the court can award, so it functions as both a notice document and a damages cap.
The form is statewide and identical in every California superior court, from Los Angeles to San Diego to the Bay Area, although county clerks handle the eventual proof of service slightly differently. The agency that ultimately receives the proof is the California Superior Court where the underlying complaint is filed. Failure to serve CIV-050 before taking a default does not just delay the case — it voids the default judgment entirely under Schwab v. Rondel Homes, Inc. (1991) 53 Cal.3d 428.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Plaintiffs should gather every piece of supporting paperwork before opening CIV-050, because the dollar figures on the form must match the underlying medical, wage, and damage records. The Judicial Council does not require you to attach proof to CIV-050, but those records are what justify the numbers when the defendant later challenges them or when the court reviews a default prove-up under California Rules of Court rule 3.1800.
Here is a pre-filing checklist with a brief reason for each item:
- The filed Complaint (usually PLD-PI-001), because the case caption on CIV-050 must match it exactly
- The court-stamped case number, because a wrong number routes the form to the wrong file
- All medical bills and EOBs to date, because special damages must be a real, documentable number
- Wage-loss verification from the employer, because lost earnings are a separate special-damages line
- Future medical estimates from a treating physician, because future medicals belong in special damages
- The defendant’s full legal name and service address, because CIV-050 must be personally served
- Any Form SUM-100 Summons already issued, because service of CIV-050 commonly travels with it
- A blank Proof of Service POS-010 or POS-020, because you will need to prove service later
- A reasoned punitive damages number plus a separate blank CIV-050, if CCP § 425.115 applies
- Your attorney’s State Bar number, or your own contact information if filing pro se, because the form requires a signature block
Missing any one of these creates a downstream problem. For example, an unsigned wage-loss letter forces the plaintiff to guess at lost earnings, and a guess that turns out high gets struck at the prove-up hearing.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official, fillable PDF lives on the Judicial Council’s website at the CIV-050 form page, and it is the only version California courts accept. The form is free, machine-fillable, and printable on standard 8.5 x 11 paper. Plaintiffs should download a fresh copy each time they file a case because the Judicial Council updates revisions periodically, and an outdated revision can be rejected by careful clerks.
Self-represented filers can also pick up a paper copy at any California Superior Court self-help center. Many county law libraries stock blank Judicial Council forms as well, and most legal aid clinics will print one on request. The form is identical no matter where it is obtained, but only the courts.ca.gov PDF guarantees the current revision date.
If you are an attorney, your case management software (Clio, Smokeball, MyCase, or Centerbase) likely has CIV-050 preloaded, but verify the revision date in the bottom-left footer reads Rev. January 1, 2024 before serving. Older versions in firm templates are the single most common source of an outdated CIV-050. The form must be served as a standalone document — never as an exhibit to the complaint, because CCP § 425.10 forbids damage amounts in the complaint itself.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out CIV-050 Line by Line
CIV-050 is a single-page form with a caption block, a “To” block, an Item 1 (general damages), an Item 2 (special damages), an Item 3 (punitive damages), a date line, a printed-name line, and a signature line. Every plaintiff must complete every applicable block. The walk-through below uses the exact field names printed on the Rev. January 1, 2024 version.
Attorney or Party Without Attorney Box (Top-Left Caption)
This box asks who is preparing and serving the form, including their full name, address, telephone, fax, email, and State Bar number for attorneys. Type your information in standard upper-and-lower case, with the State Bar number on the line provided. Maria Lopez, SBN 123456, Lopez Law Group, 100 Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 555-0100, maria@lopezlaw.com is a clean entry.
A nuance: pro se plaintiffs leave the State Bar number blank and write the words In Pro Per under their name. The most common mistake is using a residential P.O. Box without also listing a physical service address, which violates California Rules of Court rule 2.111(1). The consequence is that the opposing side may serve discovery to the wrong place, and the plaintiff may miss deadlines. A common misconception is that the address must match the complaint exactly — it must be current, not historical, so update it whenever you move.
Attorney For (Name) Box
This single line asks which party the named attorney represents, usually the plaintiff. Write the party’s role and last name, such as Plaintiff Lopez. If you represent multiple plaintiffs, list each, such as Plaintiffs Lopez and Garcia.
The nuance is co-counsel: if two firms represent the same plaintiff, only the firm serving CIV-050 fills this in, and the other firm signs a separate notice of representation. The most common mistake is leaving this box blank, which causes some clerks to reject the eventual proof of service. The misconception is that “Attorney For” means the attorney’s own name — it identifies the client, not the lawyer.
Superior Court of California, County of (Caption)
This caption block asks for the county where the complaint was filed and the court’s branch address. Write the county in all caps in the blank, such as LOS ANGELES, and the street address, mailing address, city/zip, and branch name on the lines below.
For example, 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Stanley Mosk Courthouse is the standard Los Angeles civil entry. The nuance is unlimited vs. limited civil — the same caption applies, but the dollar amounts on Items 1 and 2 must respect the $35,000 limited-civil ceiling. The most common mistake is naming the wrong courthouse for a county with multiple branches, which slows down later filings. The misconception is that “County” includes the word “County” — write LOS ANGELES, not LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
Plaintiff/Petitioner and Defendant/Respondent Boxes
These boxes ask for the exact names of the parties as they appear on the filed complaint. Type each plaintiff’s full legal name, then each defendant’s full legal name and any DOE designations. MARIA LOPEZ on the plaintiff line and JOHN DOE SMITH; DOES 1 to 50, inclusive on the defendant line is typical.
The nuance is fictitious defendants: under CCP § 474, DOE defendants must be served a CIV-050 individually once their true names are discovered. The most common mistake is omitting the DOE language, which forecloses adding unknown tortfeasors later. The misconception is that the form auto-incorporates the complaint’s caption — it does not, you must retype it carefully.
Case Number Box
This box asks for the case number assigned by the court clerk when the complaint was filed. Copy the number exactly, including any letters, hyphens, and the courthouse code. 24STCV01234 is the Los Angeles unlimited-civil format.
The nuance is unfiled complaints: you cannot serve CIV-050 before the complaint is filed because there is no case number to write, and pre-filing service is a nullity. The most common mistake is transposing two digits, which routes service into the wrong file and may not be discovered for weeks. The misconception is that the case number is optional in default situations — it is mandatory under all circumstances.
“To (Name of One Defendant Only)” Block
This block asks for the single defendant being served by this particular CIV-050. The form is defendant-specific, so plaintiffs prepare a separate CIV-050 for each defendant. Type the name in caps as it appears in the complaint, such as JOHN DOE SMITH.
The nuance is corporate defendants: write the entity’s full registered name, such as ACME LANDSCAPING, INC., a California corporation. The most common mistake is naming multiple defendants on one form, which violates the form’s plain instruction and may invalidate service. The consequence is that Greenup v. Rodman (1986) 42 Cal.3d 822 protections may not apply to any of the named defendants. The misconception is that “and DOES 1–50” can be added here — DOES are served separately once identified.
Plaintiff Seeks Damages in the Above-Entitled Action, As Follows (Lead-In Sentence)
This is not a fill-in field but a printed sentence that introduces Items 1, 2, and 3. Read it carefully because it ties the dollar amounts to the cause of action stated in the complaint. Nothing is typed here, but every plaintiff should reread the complaint before completing Items 1 and 2 to confirm consistency.
The nuance: amended complaints may change the legal theories, and the CIV-050 must match the operative complaint at the time of service. The most common mistake is serving an old CIV-050 that references damages that are no longer pleaded, which a defendant can attack. The misconception is that this lead-in sentence is editable — it is fixed by the Judicial Council and may not be altered.
Item 1 — General Damages
Item 1 asks for general (non-economic) damages such as pain, suffering, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment of life, broken into subcategories on lines 1.a, 1.b, 1.c, 1.d, and 1.e. Check the box next to each subcategory you are claiming and write a dollar amount on the $ line. 1.a. Pain, suffering, and inconvenience: $250,000 is a typical entry for a moderate auto-accident case.
The nuance is wrongful death: under CCP § 377.61, the heir’s general damages include loss of love, companionship, comfort, care, and moral support, and these belong in Item 1. The most common mistake is leaving Item 1 blank or writing “according to proof” — under Becker v. S.P.V. Construction Co. (1980) 27 Cal.3d 489, that phrase fails to give notice and voids any default. The consequence is the entire default judgment can be set aside on motion. The misconception is that general damages must be modest because they are subjective — California has no statutory cap on personal-injury general damages outside of MICRA-covered medical malpractice cases.
Item 2 — Special Damages
Item 2 asks for special (economic) damages such as medical expenses, loss of earnings, property damage, and funeral expenses, broken into lines 2.a through 2.f. Check the relevant boxes and write the documented dollar amount, such as 2.a. Medical expenses: $87,500 and 2.b. Future medical expenses (present value): $300,000.
The nuance is collateral source: under California’s Howell v. Hamilton Meats (2011) 52 Cal.4th 541, billed amounts are not the right number — paid amounts are, for past medicals. The most common mistake is using gross hospital charges instead of the negotiated paid amount, which inflates Item 2 and invites a defense motion to strike. The consequence is the inflated portion is stripped at the prove-up hearing. The misconception is that future medicals do not belong here — they do, but only at present-cash value, supported by an expert declaration at the prove-up.
Item 3 — Punitive Damages
Item 3 is not completed on the regular CIV-050. Punitive damages require a separate Statement of Damages under CCP § 425.115, served before the plaintiff can take a default that includes punitives. Leave Item 3 blank on the main CIV-050 and prepare a second form titled Statement of Damages (Punitive Damages) with the punitive figure.
The nuance is timing: the § 425.115 statement must be served at least 60 days before any default is entered, or punitives are barred. The most common mistake is writing a punitive number directly on Item 3, which is the wrong form and can void the punitive recovery. The consequence is the default judgment loses every dollar of punitives. The misconception is that pleading “punitive damages according to proof” in the complaint is enough — Greenup v. Rodman says it is not.
Date Line
This line asks for the date the form is signed and served. Write the date in MM/DD/YYYY format on the line, such as 03/14/2026.
The nuance is service date vs. signature date: they should be the same day or within 24 hours, because a stale CIV-050 invites a challenge under CCP § 1010.6. The most common mistake is dating the form when drafted but serving it weeks later, which makes the signature look untimely. The consequence is a credibility hit during the default prove-up. The misconception is that the date is optional — it is required, and a missing date is grounds for rejection.
Type or Print Name Line
This line asks for the typed or printed name of the person signing the form. Write the full legal name of the attorney or pro se plaintiff who is signing on the line, such as MARIA LOPEZ, ESQ. or MARIA LOPEZ, IN PRO PER.
The nuance is paralegal-prepared forms: the paralegal types the form, but the attorney’s name goes on this line because only an attorney may sign on the client’s behalf. The most common mistake is having the paralegal sign — that is the unauthorized practice of law under Business & Professions Code § 6125. The consequence is the form is void and may trigger State Bar discipline. The misconception is that an electronic typed name is the same as the signature — they are separate fields.
Signature Line
This line is the actual signature of the attorney or pro se plaintiff. Sign in ink for paper service, or apply a California Rules of Court rule 2.257-compliant electronic signature for e-filing. /s/ Maria Lopez is the standard electronic-signature format.
The nuance is conformed copies: the signed CIV-050 served on the defendant should be the same signed copy retained in the firm’s file, not a re-printed unsigned version. The most common mistake is serving an unsigned form, which is treated as no service at all. The consequence is the entire CIV-050 process must be redone, and the statute of limitations may run in the meantime. The misconception is that the signature can be added later — it must be present at the moment of service.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
The three scenarios below show how three different plaintiffs would complete CIV-050 from caption to signature. Each named filer is fictional, but the dollar figures track the most common real-world ranges in California Superior Court personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Scenario 1: Carlos Rivera, Auto-Accident Plaintiff With Soft-Tissue Injuries
Carlos was rear-ended on the 405 freeway, treated for whiplash and a herniated disc, and incurred $42,000 in medical bills, $18,000 in lost wages, and an estimated $60,000 in future physical therapy.
| Form Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Attorney or Party | Maria Lopez, SBN 123456, Lopez Law Group, 100 Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
| Attorney For | Plaintiff Rivera |
| Superior Court / County | LOS ANGELES, 111 N. Hill Street, Stanley Mosk Courthouse |
| Plaintiff / Defendant | CARLOS RIVERA / JOHN DOE SMITH; DOES 1 to 50 |
| Case Number | 24STCV04567 |
| To (One Defendant Only) | JOHN DOE SMITH |
| Item 1.a Pain & Suffering | $250,000 |
| Item 2.a Medical Expenses | $42,000 |
| Item 2.b Future Medical | $60,000 |
| Item 2.c Loss of Earnings | $18,000 |
| Date and Signature | 03/14/2026, /s/ Maria Lopez |
Scenario 2: Janet Kim, Surviving Spouse in a Wrongful Death Case
Janet lost her husband in a fatal commercial-truck crash and is suing the trucking company under CCP § 377.60.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Attorney or Party | Marcus Hale, SBN 234567, Hale Trial Lawyers, 500 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814 |
| Attorney For | Plaintiff Kim |
| Superior Court / County | SACRAMENTO, 720 9th Street, Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse |
| Plaintiff / Defendant | JANET KIM, individually and as successor-in-interest / FREIGHT WEST, INC.; DOES 1 to 25 |
| Case Number | 34-2026-00012345 |
| To (One Defendant Only) | FREIGHT WEST, INC., a California corporation |
| Item 1.a Loss of Love & Companionship | $3,500,000 |
| Item 2.a Funeral and Burial | $22,000 |
| Item 2.c Loss of Future Support | $1,800,000 |
| Item 2.d Loss of Household Services | $250,000 |
| Date and Signature | 04/02/2026, /s/ Marcus Hale |
Scenario 3: Aisha Patel, Slip-and-Fall Plaintiff Against a Commercial Defendant
Aisha slipped on an unmarked wet floor at a grocery store, tore her ACL, had surgery, and missed five months of work as a nurse.
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Attorney or Party | Aisha Patel, In Pro Per, 1422 Oak Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 |
| Attorney For | Plaintiff Patel |
| Superior Court / County | SAN DIEGO, 330 W. Broadway, Hall of Justice |
| Plaintiff / Defendant | AISHA PATEL / FRESHMART GROCERY LLC; DOES 1 to 20 |
| Case Number | 37-2026-00056789-CU-PO-CTL |
| To (One Defendant Only) | FRESHMART GROCERY LLC |
| Item 1.a Pain & Suffering | $400,000 |
| Item 2.a Medical Expenses (paid) | $78,500 |
| Item 2.b Future Medical | $45,000 |
| Item 2.c Loss of Earnings | $48,750 |
| Date and Signature | 05/19/2026, /s/ Aisha Patel |
How to File the Completed CIV-050
CIV-050 is unusual among Judicial Council forms because it is served, not filed, in the first instance. The plaintiff serves the completed form on each defendant, then later files a Proof of Service POS-010 (personal service) or POS-020 (mail service) with the court. The proof of service is what becomes part of the public file.
Personal service is the gold standard. A registered process server hand-delivers the CIV-050 along with the Summons and complaint to the named defendant. Process server fees range from $75 to $200 per defendant in most California counties, and turnaround is one to seven days depending on how evasive the defendant is. The proof-of-filing the plaintiff keeps is the signed POS-010, scanned and saved.
Substituted service under CCP § 415.20 is the backup when a process server cannot reach the defendant after reasonable diligence. Substituted service requires leaving the documents with a competent adult at the defendant’s home or workplace, and mailing a second copy first-class to the same address. Processing time is ten days from the date of mailing before service is deemed complete.
E-filing the proof of service is now mandatory in many counties under California Rules of Court rule 2.253. Use the county’s approved e-filing service provider, such as File & ServeXpress or One Legal, and pay the per-document e-filing fee of $9–$15. Keep the electronic confirmation receipt as your proof of filing. There is no separate filing fee for CIV-050 itself because it is served, not filed, but the underlying complaint already required the unlimited civil filing fee of $435 or the limited civil fee of $225–$370 depending on the amount in controversy.
In Los Angeles, San Diego, and Bay Area counties such as Alameda and Santa Clara, the e-filing portal links live on each county’s Superior Court website. Counties such as Fresno still accept paper proofs at the clerk’s window, but mailing the proof with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a second conformed copy is faster and cleaner.
What Happens After You File CIV-050
Once CIV-050 is served, the defendant has 30 days from service of the summons and complaint to file a responsive pleading under CCP § 412.20. The CIV-050 itself does not carry an independent response deadline, but it locks the plaintiff’s damage ceiling for any future default. If the defendant answers, the case proceeds into discovery and CIV-050 is rarely revisited unless damages change dramatically.
If the defendant does not answer, the plaintiff can request entry of default on Form CIV-100 and then move to a default prove-up hearing under California Rules of Court rule 3.1800. The court will compare the dollar amounts in CIV-050 against the supporting medical, wage, and damages evidence. The judgment cannot exceed the CIV-050 numbers, per Greenup v. Rodman and CCP § 580.
Plaintiffs who realize their damages have grown beyond the CIV-050 figures can serve an amended Statement of Damages, but only before default is taken. After default, the numbers are frozen and any larger judgment is void. This is the core reason experienced personal-injury attorneys, like fictional senior trial lawyer Marcus Hale, intentionally pad CIV-050 numbers within reason to leave headroom.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
Below are ten field-specific errors and the consequence of each:
- Writing “according to proof” instead of a dollar number — voids any default judgment under Becker v. S.P.V. Construction Co.
- Using gross billed medical charges instead of Howell-compliant paid amounts — inflated portion is struck at prove-up
- Putting punitive damages on Item 3 of the regular CIV-050 — wipes out the entire punitive recovery
- Naming multiple defendants on a single CIV-050 — service is invalid as to all of them
- Forgetting to serve a separate § 425.115 statement at least 60 days before default — bars punitive damages
- Leaving the case number blank — the form sits in the wrong file or no file at all
- Using an outdated revision of the form — careful clerks reject the eventual proof of service
- Having a paralegal sign instead of the attorney — unauthorized practice of law and form is void
- Serving CIV-050 before the complaint is filed — service is a legal nullity
- Filing CIV-050 in the public court file instead of serving it on the defendant — exposes plaintiff to a CCP § 425.10 violation argument
Do’s and Don’ts
These are the highest-yield habits and pitfalls observed across thousands of California personal-injury filings:
- Do download a fresh copy of CIV-050 for every new case, because the Judicial Council updates revisions silently
- Do prepare one CIV-050 per defendant, because the form is defendant-specific by design
- Do serve CIV-050 together with the Summons and complaint, because joint service is cleaner and harder to challenge
- Do build in headroom on Items 1 and 2, because you can lower numbers later but cannot raise them after default
- Do save the signed, served copy in PDF form, because you will need it for any prove-up
- Do prepare a separate § 425.115 statement when punitives are on the table, because Item 3 is not the right vehicle
- Don’t paraphrase field labels in pleadings, because judges expect verbatim language from the Judicial Council form
- Don’t serve an unsigned CIV-050, because service is a legal nullity without a wet or rule 2.257 e-signature
- Don’t list damages in the body of the complaint, because CCP § 425.10(b) prohibits it in PI/wrongful death cases
- Don’t wait to serve until after requesting default, because Schwab v. Rondel Homes voids the whole default
- Don’t reuse a CIV-050 from another case, because mismatched captions are a quick rejection
- Don’t forget to update CIV-050 if the operative complaint is amended, because the latest pleading controls
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
CIV-050 looks deceptively simple, and the trade-offs between pro se filing and hiring counsel are real:
- Pro: Pro se filing costs nothing beyond the underlying filing fee, which preserves cash for medical bills
- Pro: Self-help centers at every California Superior Court walk pro se filers through the form for free
- Pro: A correctly served CIV-050 is the same document whether prepared by a pro se plaintiff or a $1,200/hour partner
- Pro: Pro se plaintiffs control the pace and the dollar figures without negotiating with counsel
- Pro: For modest soft-tissue cases under $50,000, the cost-benefit of pro se can be sound
- Con: Most pro se plaintiffs misjudge general damages, leaving five- and six-figure sums on the table
- Con: The § 425.115 punitive-damages process is technical and frequently missed without counsel
- Con: Howell v. Hamilton Meats paid-versus-billed math is non-obvious for non-lawyers
- Con: Service rules under CCP § 415.20 trip up pro se filers regularly
- Con: A single error voids a default judgment, and the statute of limitations may then bar a refile
CIV-050 vs. Related California Forms
| Form | Role in a PI / Wrongful Death Case |
|---|---|
| CIV-050 Statement of Damages | Discloses dollar amounts of compensatory damages to defendant |
| PLD-PI-001 Complaint | States the legal theories and facts but cannot list dollar amounts |
| SUM-100 Summons | Commands the defendant to appear or default |
| POS-010 Proof of Service | Proves personal or substituted service of CIV-050 |
| CIV-100 Request for Entry of Default | Asks the clerk to enter the defendant’s default |
| Separate § 425.115 Statement | Discloses punitive-damages amount before default |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CIV-050 required in every personal injury case?
Yes. Any California complaint for personal injury, emotional distress tied to physical injury, or wrongful death triggers CCP § 425.11 and requires a Statement of Damages served on each defendant.
Can I just write the damage numbers in my complaint instead?
No. CCP § 425.10(b) bars stating dollar damage amounts in the complaint for these case types, and CIV-050 is the required substitute.
Do I file CIV-050 with the court when I serve it?
No. CIV-050 is served on the defendant first, and only the Proof of Service POS-010 is later filed with the court clerk.
Can I write “according to proof” on Item 1 or Item 2?
No. Becker v. S.P.V. Construction Co. (1980) 27 Cal.3d 489 holds that “according to proof” fails as notice and voids any default judgment that relies on it.
Do I list punitive damages on Item 3 of the regular CIV-050?
No. Punitive damages require a separate Statement of Damages under CCP § 425.115, served at least 60 days before default.
Do I need one CIV-050 per defendant?
Yes. The “To (Name of One Defendant Only)” block makes the form defendant-specific, so each named defendant gets their own served copy.
Can a paralegal sign CIV-050?
No. Only the attorney of record or the pro se plaintiff may sign, because non-attorney signature is unauthorized practice under Business & Professions Code § 6125.
Should I write “County of” before the county name in the caption?
No. Write only the county, such as LOS ANGELES, because the printed words Superior Court of California, County of already appear on the form.
Can I list multiple defendants in the “To” block on Item 4?
No. The block reads Name of One Defendant Only, so listing multiple defendants invalidates service as to each one.
Do I need to update CIV-050 if my medical bills grow after I serve it?
Yes. Serve an amended Statement of Damages before default is entered, because CCP § 580 caps the judgment at the figures in the latest served version.
Is CIV-050 available in Spanish or other languages?
No. The Judicial Council publishes CIV-050 in English only, though court interpreters can help pro se filers complete it.
Can I e-serve CIV-050 instead of using a process server?
Yes. If the defendant has consented to electronic service under California Rules of Court rule 2.251, e-service of CIV-050 is valid, otherwise personal or substituted service is required.
Does CIV-050 have a filing fee?
No. There is no fee for CIV-050 itself, although the underlying complaint requires the unlimited civil filing fee of $435 or the applicable limited-civil fee.
Can I serve CIV-050 by mail alone?
No. Under CCP § 415.20, mail-only service is not valid as primary service, and the form must be personally or substitute-served.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out California Form CIV-010 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form CIV-100 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form CIV-130 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form CIV-140 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form MC-051 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form SC-500 (w/Examples) + FAQs