Resources for Litigators: General

These include sample complaints, motions, answers, interrogatories and other similar pleadings and filings and can also include criminal court filings. The best way to locate appropriate litigation forms is typically to select your jurisdiction and then review form books specific to that jurisdiction. See the General Forms section for descriptions of each resource.

Bloomberg Law:

1. See the Litigation Intelligence Center for the Litigation Resources page which includes a Jury Instructions search, Litigation Practical Guidance Library featuring sample forms and checklists, and a Reference Materials Library.
2. Or Click on "Browse" --> "Practitioner Tools" --> Practical Guidance Home --> Litigation

Lexis Advance:

1. Click the Browse tab and then on "Sources"
2. Narrow by Category and select “Forms” as content type
3. Examples:

• • Bender’s Federal Practice Forms
  • Bender’s Forms for the Civil Practice
  • Bender’s Forms of Discovery Interrogatories
  • Collier Bankruptcy Practice Guide
  • Forms from Modern Federal Jury Instructions (Civil and Criminal)

Westlaw:

1. Click on “Forms” under the main Browse heading
2. Select your jurisdiction OR
3. For general and federal forms, review the Forms by Publication section for the following databases:

• • American Jurisprudence Pleading & Practice Forms Annotated
  • Complete Manual of Criminal Forms
  • Lane’s Goldstein Litigation Forms
  • Nichols Cyclopedia of Federal Procedure Forms
  • Westlaw Official Forms (Bankruptcy, Immigration, Patents, SEC)

Practical Law (on Westlaw--look for Practical Law link on main Westlaw homepage)

1. Click on the "Practice Areas" tab and then click on "Litigation"
2. Then select subtopic, click on Jurisdiction or click on Resource Types to limit your search to Standard Documents or Standard Clauses   (Note: the "Checklists" resource option under Litigation may also be helpful)

PLI PLUS:

1. Accessible through the Law Databases page
2. Click on "Forms"
3. Click arrow in front of "Practice Area" and select "Litigation"
4. Select Form Type from drop down menu (Model Court Orders, Pleadings/Motions etc.)
5. Enter Search terms or "Form Title" in the search boxes at the top 
6. Click Red Magnifying class to search

It is important to gather as much information as possible from the client at the initial meeting so you can determine what types of claims to file (or what defenses to mount). Using an interview template that is tailored for a particular area of law or type of case can be a very useful guide as you conduct the initial client meeting. Larger firms may have their own standard intake forms available but it can be helpful to turn to sample forms if such customized forms or unavailable or you find yourself working in a new practice area. These forms tend to be jurisdiction and practice area-specific. Below are a few examples.