Pierce County Superior Court Document Format Requirements

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

Margins

top 3 in, left 1 in, right 1 in

Format

PAPER

The Certificate of Completion must be printed on 8.5-inch white paper with a 3-inch top margin, 1-inch side margins, no material in the top margin, and the case number just below the top margin on the right.

The certificate must be on 8.5 inch, white paper; must have a 3-inch top margin, 1-inch side margins (nothing should be in the top margin area) and the case number should be just below the top margin on the right side of the document.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Typed or computer-generated documents must use at least 12-point font and be double spaced, except that footnotes are excluded and a mandatory form may authorize single spacing.

Except for footnotes, all typed or computer generated documents shall be prepared using a minimum of 12 point font and shall be double spaced, unless a mandatory form authorizes the use of single spacing.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Pleadings must comply with GR 14 and GR 14-Appendix 1, including its margin requirements.

Compliance with the provisions of GR 14 and GR 14-Appendix 1, including margins, is required.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

The caption must follow CR 4 and the Washington State Courts Mandatory Forms format, including the court heading, case or party name, case number, and document title.

The form of the caption (e.g. Superior Court heading, Name of Case/Parties, Case Number, and Title of document shall follow the format in CR 4 as well as set forth in the Washington State Courts Mandatory Forms.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

The bottom left of every page of a pleading or other paper must repeat an abbreviated document name followed by the page number.

At the left side of the bottom of each page of all pleadings and other papers an abbreviated name of the pleading or other paper shall be repeated, followed by the page number.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

The name of every person signing a pleading or other paper must be printed or typed beneath the signature.

The names of all persons signing a pleading or other paper shall be printed or typed under their signatures.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

All pleadings must be signed in compliance with CR 11 and PCLR 11.

All pleadings must be signed as required by CR 11 and PCLR 11.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

The Pierce County Clerk may reject pleadings that do not conform to the applicable format requirements.

The Pierce County Clerk may reject for filing all pleadings that do not conform to these format requirements.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

PCLR 10 font-size and double-spacing requirements are mandatory, and a single-spaced page counts as two pages.

PCLR 10 will be strictly enforced re: font size and double space – if single spaced the page will count as two pages.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

The bottom-left corner of every page must repeat an abbreviated document name and the page number.

At the left side of the bottom of each page of all pleadings and other papers an abbreviated name of the pleading or other paper shall be repeated, followed by the page number.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Every signatory's name must be printed or typed below the signature.

The names of all persons signing a pleading or other paper shall be printed or typed under their signatures.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Line-numbered paper is required for motions and declarations unless the document is a Washington State Mandatory form.

Use line numbered paper for any motions and declarations that are not Washington State Mandatory forms.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

A transcript made from an electronic or mechanical recording or videotaped proceeding must follow the verbatim-report form required by RAP 9.2(e) and (f).

All report of proceedings produced from use of any electronic/mechanical recorder or videotaped proceedings shall be in the same form as a verbatim report as provided in RAP 9.2(e) and (f).

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

A paper may not be altered by interlineation, correction, or deletion after judicial-officer signature or filing.

No interlineations, corrections or deletions shall be made in any paper after it is signed by the judicial officer or filed with the clerk.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

PCLR 10 font-size and double-spacing requirements will be strictly enforced, and a single-spaced page counts as two pages.

(iv) PCLR 10 will be strictly enforced re: font size and double space – if single spaced the page will count as two pages.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

All pleadings filed with the court must comply with the format requirements of GR 14(a).

(These forms are examples only. All pleadings filed with the court must comply with the format requirements of GR 14(a).)

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Jury instructions must be prepared on plain white paper in 12-point Times New Roman and double spaced.

(c) Formatting. All jury instructions should be prepared on plain white paper in TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT, 12 POINT and DOUBLE SPACED.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Cited jury-instruction copies must be numbered consecutively by the proposing party.

(1) Numbering. All cited copies should be numbered consecutively by the party proposing the instructions.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Jury instructions may not have a title at the top other than the prescribed instruction-number heading.

(2) Titling. The instructions should not have a title at the top of the document other than the “Instruction No. ______.”

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Format

DOCX

All jury instructions must be sent to the Judicial Assistant in Microsoft Word format.

(f) Electronic working copies. All instructions shall be sent to the Judicial Assistant in Microsoft Word format.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Working copies must not be submitted in Civil Division matters.

For all Civil Divisions, working copies shall not be submitted.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

All pleadings and working copies must be on white paper only.

All pleadings and working copies shall be only on white paper.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Each pleading under the docket-number space must have a title identifying its purpose and the presenting party.

All pleadings under the space under the docket number shall contain a title indicating their purpose and party presenting them.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Motions and declarations not using Washington State Mandatory Forms must be submitted on line-numbered paper.

Use line numbered paper for any motions and declarations that are not Washington State Mandatory forms.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Format

PAPER

Jury instructions should be prepared on plain white paper, in Times New Roman 12-point font, and double spaced.

All jury instructions should be prepared on plain white paper in TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT, 12 POINT and DOUBLE SPACED.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Cited copies of jury instructions should be numbered consecutively by the proposing party.

All cited copies should be numbered consecutively by the party proposing the instructions.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Jury instructions should have no title at the top of the document except the instruction number.

The instructions should not have a title at the top of the document other than the “Instruction No. ______.”

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Cited supplemental jury instructions must continue the numbering from the last previously assigned number, even when modified.

(B) Numbering. All “cited” supplemental instructions should be numbered beginning where the last number left off, even if the instruction is a modified version of an instruction previously submitted.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Format

PAPER

Absent the assigned judge's prior authorization, working copies of documents of 200 pages or more must be submitted only in paper form under PCLR 7(a)(7).

Absent prior authorization of the assigned judge, working copies of documents 200 pages or more in length shall be submitted in paper form only and shall be delivered pursuant to PCLR 7(a)(7).

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

An Order Amending Case Schedule must use the original schedule's form, be titled 'Order Amending Case Schedule,' and need not include the Notice provisions.

An Order Amending Case Schedule shall be in the same form as the original Order Setting Case Schedule except that an Order Amending Case Schedule shall be entitled Order Amending Case Schedule and it need not include the Notice provisions.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Self-represented parties may submit legible handwritten pleadings in black or blue ink, double spaced unless a mandatory form permits single spacing, using one side of each page; declarations must be appropriately verified and formatted.

To ensure access to the courts for any self-represented party, pleadings may be submitted that are legibly handwritten in black or blue ink, double spaced (unless a mandatory form authorizes the use of single spacing) using only one side of each page. Declarations shall be appropriately verified and formatted.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

Except for footnotes, typed or computer-generated documents must use at least 12-point font and be double spaced unless a mandatory form permits single spacing.

Except for footnotes, all typed or computer generated documents shall be prepared using a minimum of 12 point font and shall be double spaced, unless a mandatory form authorizes the use of single spacing.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

All pleadings and working copies must be printed or submitted only on white paper.

All pleadings and working copies shall be only on white paper.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

The transcript-format rule covers transcripts of hearings before every judicial officer.

This rule applies to all transcripts prepared from hearings before any judicial officer.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026WARNING

The oath must reproduce the personal representative’s or administrator’s name as it appears in the order using typed or printed text.

The personal representative(s)/administrator(s) name shall be typed or printed on the oath as it appears in the order.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026INFO

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

Self-represented parties may submit legibly handwritten pleadings in black or blue ink, double spaced, and on one side of each page unless a mandatory form authorizes single spacing.

To ensure access to the courts for any self-represented party, pleadings may be submitted that are legibly handwritten in black or blue ink, double spaced (unless a mandatory form authorizes the use of single spacing) using only one side of each page.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026INFO

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

The bottom right of the first page should contain the preparing party, attorney, or firm's name, mailing address, and telephone number.

At the right side of the bottom of the first page of each pleading or other paper the name, mailing address and telephone number of the party, attorney or firm preparing the paper should be printed or typed.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 4, 2026INFO

The bottom-right corner of the first page should identify the party, attorney, or firm by name, mailing address, and telephone number.

At the right side of the bottom of the first page of each pleading or other paper the name, mailing address and telephone number of the party, attorney or firm preparing the paper should be printed or typed.

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

Proposed or draft document; may not be in force

The Washington State Mandatory Forms shall be used except where a mandatory form is designated “optional,” and local forms have been promulgated by the Court or no mandatory form exists for the particular matter.

Summary: Washington State Mandatory Forms must be used unless the form is designated optional and a court-promulgated local form exists, or no mandatory form exists for the matter.

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

Any such mark made prior to filing shall be initialed and dated by all persons signing the document.

Summary: Interlineations, corrections, or deletions made before filing must be initialed and dated by every signatory.

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

The Cited Copies should be stapled.

Summary: Cited copies of proposed jury instructions must be stapled.

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

(B) Uncited Copy. One uncited copy of the jury instructions should be submitted to the Judicial Assistant on the first day of trial and should be in the same sequence as the cited set but are not numbered and are not stapled.

Summary: The uncited jury-instruction set must follow the cited set's sequence without numbering or stapling.

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

(6) Electronic working copies. All instructions shall be sent to the Judicial Assistant in Microsoft Word format.

Summary: All proposed jury instructions must be sent to the Judicial Assistant in Microsoft Word format.

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

The Order Setting Case Schedule is set forth in Appendix, Form A.

Summary: The original Order Setting Case Schedule must follow Appendix, Form A.

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

The Washington State Mandatory Forms shall be used except where a mandatory form is designated “optional,” and local forms have been promulgated by the Court or no mandatory form exists for the particular matter.

Summary: Washington State Mandatory Forms must be used unless the form is designated optional and local forms exist, or no mandatory form exists for the matter.

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

This rule shall not apply to appeals on small claims cases.

Summary: The transcript-format rule does not apply to small-claims appeals.