Litigation forms are instruments used by both lawyers and laymen alike to execute legally binding agreements or use the court system. A litigation form or litigation legal document can be adapted for all legal needs, from first filing to appeal of final judgment, and covers all areas of the law. In many cases, a litigation form can be state-specific.

Common litigation legal forms that will most likely not require consultation with a lawyer are:

1. Affidavits, which are litigation legal forms that are voluntary declarations of facts written down and sworn to before an officer, most often a notary.

2. Motions, litigation forms that are any kind of request to the court, asking it to make a specified ruling or order.

3. Demurers, which are a specific kind of motion known in most states as motions to dismiss. A demurer litigation form will probably require consultation with a lawyer before being filed with the court.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stay updated with recent litigation forms

Laws, rules and procedures are constantly changing. Lawyers are paid to stay well-informed of such things. Untrained professionals, however, should use caution before initiating use of a legal instrument without checking whether litigation legal documents are current.

I recommend: Don't use an old form without making sure it's still an appropriate instrument. Visit FindLaw for links to federal and state court forms, as well as a variety of business forms. Blumberg's Law Products can provide examples of litigation agreements for purposes of comparison.

Shop around for the best litigation legal documents

There are many sites on the Internet where you can buy litigation forms, either electronically or in books of litigation agreements or litigation legal documents. Consider carefully what you need before buying.

I recommend: Although only good for use in California, PleadingPrep is an excellent source of civil litigation sample forms. For the rest of the country, 1st Stop Legal.com provides a search engine to aid you in finding what you need.

Hire an expert to help best use civil litigation forms

When dealing with the law, getting it right is critical. Given enough time and effort, anyone can sufficiently understand most legal questions. But time and effort are money, and if the law is not your profession, your efforts could be better spent on an expert you can trust to use litigation legal forms correctly.

I recommend: Find a lawyer who specializes in your target area and can complete civil litigation forms you can depend on at sites like Martindale or FindLaw.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The law is in a constant state of flux. Make sure the forms and rules to which you refer are the most up-to-date. Using expired or invalid forms can be anywhere from inconvenient to catastrophic.