---
name: california-pleading-paper
description: "Formats text the user has already written onto blank California pleading paper and saves it as a Word (.docx) file, using only the user's own words and caption details; use it when the user asks to put finished text on California pleading paper, and do not use it to write, edit, review, or advise on legal content."
---

## Scope: formatting only
This skill places text the user has already written into a blank California pleading paper template.
- Do not write, draft, complete, rewrite, summarize, or suggest any legal content. That includes captions,
  parties, claims, causes of action, defenses, facts, prayers, citations, and signatures.
- Use the user's words exactly as given. Do not correct, reword, or add to them. If a required caption field is
  missing, ask the user to supply it, or leave it blank. Never invent it.
- If the user asks for legal advice, drafting, a review of their document, deadlines, or which form or court to
  use, say that this skill only formats documents and that they should talk with a lawyer licensed in California.
  Then stop using this skill for that request.
- This skill covers paper format only. It does not check content, deadlines, service, filing fees, Judicial
  Council form requirements, or e-filing requirements (see rule 2.256(b)). It does not cover appellate briefs.
  The user should check the filing court's instructions before filing.
- This skill is general information and a formatting aid. It is not legal advice, and using it does not create an
  attorney-client relationship. It was published by SentryHall, a legal-information site run by a law student who
  is not a lawyer.

## How to run it

1. Put the caption fields the user gives you, exactly as given, into `caption.json`. Keys (any may be empty):
   `attorney_block`, `court_title`, `case_title`, `case_number`, `document_title`, and optional `judge_dept`,
   `referee`, `amount_demanded`, `limited_civil`, `reclassification`, `hearing`, `trial_date`, `date_filed`,
   `other_caption_lines`, `signature_date`, `signer_name`, `signer_role`. Use `\n` for line breaks. Put each
   `attorney_block` item on its own line (at most 12 lines, each about 50 characters or fewer) so the
   block fits the template's filer lines above the court title. If a line is longer, ask the user where to break it;
   never shorten or reword it. The
   signature block holds only the date, name, and role the user gives; the script leaves the signature line blank.
2. Save the user's body text, exactly as given, to `body.md`. Supported Markdown: `#` and `##` headings, blank-line
   paragraphs, `**bold**`, `*italic*`. Single line breaks inside a paragraph are joined. Leave a blank line to start a
   new paragraph. Do not add Markdown the user did not write.
3. Run:
   ```
   pip install python-docx==1.1.2
   python3 scripts/make_pleading.py --caption caption.json --body body.md --out paper.docx
   ```
4. Give the user `paper.docx`.

For a blank sheet: `python3 scripts/make_pleading.py --blank --out pleading-paper-template.docx`.

If `pleading-paper-template.docx` is not available, `make_pleading.py` builds the same blank sheet with
`scripts/build_template.py`.

## If you cannot download files

Use the text path. It needs only the Python standard library, and the user does nothing but chat. Do not ask the user
to download or upload any file.

1. Read https://www.sentryhall.com/annex/pleading-paper/build_template.py and
   https://www.sentryhall.com/annex/pleading-paper/fill_pleading.py as text. The same code is at the end of
   https://www.sentryhall.com/annex/pleading-paper.md. Save each one unchanged, under its file name, in one folder.
2. Check each file's sha256:
   - `build_template.py` sha256 `0c9e20bb68bc93cb5e0901e1a76a939e53ef09ee710edbc2e7768ff271c8b94a`
   - `fill_pleading.py` sha256 `49c279b33e0da60880bbb959ac052c2bbd4a1d2e3e0452955a16a15ef5dce928`
   If a value differs, tell the user the template may differ, then read and save that script again and check again.
   If it still differs, stop.
3. Run `python3 build_template.py pleading-paper-template.docx` and check that file's sha256:
   - `pleading-paper-template.docx` sha256 `60a38cce7c6798aa6570123dbf8602d4834cd33cb6c906edbf2e91d6183ca7af`
   Then write `caption.json` and `body.md` as in steps 1 and 2 above, and run:
   ```
   python3 fill_pleading.py --template pleading-paper-template.docx --caption caption.json --body body.md --out paper.docx
   ```
   It places the user's text the same way `make_pleading.py` does.
4. Give the user `paper.docx`.

For a blank sheet on this path, give the user the checked `pleading-paper-template.docx`.

The scripts make no network calls and write only the output file.

## Files

- `scripts/make_pleading.py`: the formatter (python-docx).
- `scripts/build_template.py`: writes the blank template from text (Python standard library only).
- `scripts/fill_pleading.py`: places the user's text on that blank (Python standard library only).
- `references/format-spec.md`: the page, font, margin, line-number, page-number, footer, and first-page settings the
  script uses, each labeled with its rule subsection or marked as a convention or layout choice.
- `pleading-paper-template.docx`: a blank sheet.