San Joaquin Superior Court Document Format Requirements

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026CRITICAL

Each exhibit must have a properly completed and securely attached exhibit tag, and improperly tagged exhibits will not be accepted by the court.

B. All exhibits must be individually tagged with the proper exhibit tag. Each exhibit tag must be properly completed and security attached to the exhibit. Any exhibit improperly tagged will not be accepted by the court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026CRITICAL

Original photographs or 8.5-by-11-inch copies must replace photographically enlarged or oversized exhibits.

Original photographs or 8 1/2 x 11-inch copies shall be substituted for any photographically enlarged or oversized exhibits.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026CRITICAL

The judge’s signature must appear at the end of the last attachment and be identified on the last page of the order or decree body.

The Judge’s signature shall appear at the end of the last attachment with an appropriate indication of that fact on the last page of the body of the order or decree.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026CRITICAL

Format

PDF

All electronically filed documents must be text-searchable PDFs, and the number of pages is unlimited unless another rule prohibits a document’s length.

All electronic filed documents must be in electronic text searchable PDF format. There is not a limit on the number of pages a document can contain, unless prohibited by another rule.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026CRITICAL

Documents containing exhibits must use an electronic bookmark for each exhibit and an identifying slip sheet between exhibits.

Documents containing exhibits must be bookmarked. An electronic bookmark must be created for each exhibit, and between each exhibit a slip sheet must be inserted containing identification of the following exhibit. For example, a page where the words printed are “Exhibit A” or Exhibit B” or other appropriate identification.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026CRITICAL

Format

PDF

A document required at the hearing must be submitted in PDF format.

In the event the court requires a party/attorney to submit a document at the time of the hearing, the party/attorney must send the document in a .pdf format to the court at familycourtclerks@sjcourts.org, and must copy all counsel of record and self-represented parties on that email.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026WARNING

Plaintiff, petitioner, and People exhibits should be numbered consecutively, while defendant and respondent exhibits should be marked consecutively with letters.

A. Exhibits submitted by plaintiff, petitioner or the People should be marked consecutively with numbers. Exhibits submitted by defendant or respondent should be marked consecutively with letters.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 3, 2026WARNING

The courtesy copy of a petition containing an accounting must be marked in red in the upper left-hand corner “Examiner’s Copy.”

A courtesy copy of any petition containing an accounting shall be submitted to the Probate Clerk at the time the original is filed or within 5 court days of filing, if electronically filed, marked in red in the upper left-hand corner “Examiner’s Copy.”

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 3, 2026INFO

Riders and exhibits generally should not be attached to an order or decree, but an exhibit containing legal descriptions, trust terms, or similar information may be attached if specifically incorporated in the order body.

Riders and exhibits should not be attached to an order or decree; except that an exhibit setting forth legal descriptions, a statement of trust terms, and the like may be attached if specifically incorporated in the body of the order or decree.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

The requests shall be limited to those specified in subsection (b) of Rule 5.151 and must be in writing.

Summary: Family-law emergency requests are limited to the matters specified in California Rules of Court Rule 5.151(b) and must be in writing.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

C. To facilitate scanning, the documents must be loosely bound and not stapled.

Summary: Financial documents must be loosely bound and not stapled to facilitate court scanning.