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PLD-C-001: Complaint—Contract

The Judicial Council’s optional contract complaint form. See its questions and attachments before checking the filing packet.

Revised January 1, 2024 · 2 pages · Cause-of-action attachments · CM-010

Check your PLD-C-001 free with Lexary Official form on courts.ca.gov ↗

Not legal advice. This page explains what the form asks; it does not tell you what to put in your case.

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Free document check — not legal advice. This tool looks for common filing problems such as missing dates, signatures, addresses and court information. It can make mistakes, so review your documents carefully before you file. Your documents and conversation are saved and may be reviewed by our team to improve the service. Only upload documents you are allowed to share.

What it is

An optional contract complaint

California Courts identifies PLD-C-001 as a form that can be used for a breach-of-contract complaint. Its title also includes amended complaints and cross-complaints. The form asks for one or more cause-of-action attachments.

When it is used

Describe the form, then get advice on the claims

The form’s choices involve jurisdiction, venue, causes of action and relief. This page identifies those questions. It does not decide which claims, parties, amounts or legal theories belong in a particular lawsuit.

Section by section

What each part asks

Use the current official form and its instructions. The descriptions below identify the questions without choosing answers for your situation.

Page 1 · Parties and case classification

Caption: Filer, court, plaintiff, defendant and complaint or cross-complaint designation.
Jurisdiction: Limited, unlimited or reclassified civil case selections.
1–2 · Parties and page count: The parties named in the pleading and its total pages, attachments and exhibits.
3–4 · Legal status: Information about plaintiffs and defendants, including entities and additional parties.

Page 2 · Allegations and requests

5–7 · Additional allegations and venue: Further party allegations and the stated reason this is the proper court.
8 · Causes of action: The attached claims, including listed contract or common-count attachments.
9–11 · Relief and declaration details: Other allegations, requested relief and allegations on information and belief.
Signature: Printed name, signature and date, with any verification separately attached.

Before you file

Common filing problems to check

These checks come from the official form and instructions. They are not a ranking of rejection reasons; the court decides whether a filing meets its requirements.

No cause-of-action attachment is included although item 8 requires at least one.
The signature or date is missing.
The page count omits attachments or exhibits.
The opening packet is missing a cover sheet required by rule 3.220 or a local court rule.

E-file it

How to e-file PLD-C-001 with Legal Hub Group

Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts. Availability depends on the live court, case type, document type and whether the case is new or existing.

Confirm the court

Check the current court and case-type list. A court must support the particular filing; this guide does not make every form available in every county.

Upload and check

Upload the finished papers and their attachments. Lexary checks them for common filing problems. Review the documents and the results before continuing.

Review the filing and fees

Confirm the case, document types and payment choice. Review every fee shown before submitting.

Submit and track the answer

The court reviews the filing. Keep the court’s acceptance and returned copy, or read its rejection notice before deciding what to do next.

$14.99 Legal Hub Group fee per e-filing, plus applicable court and court-system fees. Each fee is shown before submitting.

E-service is included free where available. No subscription. E-filing and service of opening papers are separate requirements.

Create a free account Check courts and case types

Live counties with a relevant case type: Butte · Calaveras · Colusa · Contra Costa · Glenn · Los Angeles · Madera · Mariposa · Mendocino · Merced · Napa · San Bernardino · San Diego · San Luis Obispo · San Mateo · Santa Barbara · Santa Clara · Santa Cruz · Sonoma · Stanislaus · Sutter · Tehama · Yolo · Yuba. Check each listing’s new-case or existing-case status and document restrictions.

Questions

PLD-C-001 questions

Is PLD-C-001 mandatory for every contract case?

The official form is approved for optional use. California Courts says a contract complaint can use PLD-C-001 or be prepared separately.

Does the two-page form contain the whole claim?

Not by itself. Item 8 says each complaint must have one or more causes of action attached. Other attachments or exhibits may also be part of the pleading.

Will Lexary choose a cause of action?

No. A document check can look for filing problems, but choosing legal claims or relief requires legal judgment.

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Not legal advice. This page explains public filing information. It does not tell you what to put in your own case. Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts, not a law firm.

Information checked as of October 2026. Rules, form revisions and provider prices can change. The court decides whether to accept a filing.

PLD-C-001 form revision: January 1, 2024.