Popular Legal Pleading Document Templates for Lawyers

A large portion of a lawyer and their legal team’s job description is creating legal pleading templates for use in cases and proceedings. Because it’s important that these legal pleading templates follow specific formats, require important information, and are produced quickly upon need, it can be helpful to use premade and easily fillable templates; Microsoft Word is often the processor used for such a thing.

Below, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the most popular legal pleading templates for lawyers, including corresponding links where the templates can be downloaded for use.

Family Law Legal Pleading Templates

• The Potential to Terminate Parental Rights template is used by petitioners to request parental rights termination in the case that a child is being abused, mistreated, or neglected. 

• The Adult Adoption Petition template helps allows for a request to be made of a legal adoption of an adult who may need care, is mentally disabled, or is a stepchild. 

• The Petition to Modify Child Support template can be used to request changes or modifications to previously established child support. 

• The Stepparent Adoption Petition template is for stepparents to legally adopt their spouses children. 

• The Petition for Custody template can be used when full guardianship and legal rights are sought over a minor and can include the allowance of visitation, insurance, child support, and inheritance.

• The Entry of Appearance template can be used to request permission to represent a client in a case.

• The Agreed Order Custody template can be used to decide custody arrangements between separated and divorced couples. 

• The Joint Petition Modify Custody template can be used to request a modification of the custody agreement by both parents when the agreement no longer works to support the child properly.

• The Child Support Answer Affidavit template can be used by fathers to respond to child support requests. 

• The Revocation of Relinquishment Agreement template can be used to reverse the relinquishment of custodial rights by parents who gave their child up for adoption.

• The Minor Consent to Relinquishment template can be used for a minor to agree to relinquishment of parental rights.

• The Denial of Paternity template can be used by a father to deny responsibility of a minor’s care and any paternity. 

• The Non-Paternity Affidavit can be used when a father wishes to contest paternity of a child. 

• The Paternity Acknowledgement template can be used to accept paternity and acknowledge custodial rights.

• The Mother Answer Non-Paternity Affidavit can be used by a child’s mother to respond to a declaration of non-paternity by the father.

• The Rescission of Paternity template can be used to deny paternity after proceedings have already started.

• The Child Custody and Visitation Order template can be used to outline visitation and custody agreements.

• The Joint Legal Custody Order template can be used to arrange joint custody agreements.

• The Declaration Emancipation Minor template can be used to declare a minor emancipated by their parents.

• The Request for Child Custody and Visitation template can be used by separated or divorcing parents to outline custody arrangements. 

Marriage/Divorce Law Legal Pleading Templates

• The Petition of Divorce template is used for dissolution of marriage and to keep testimony and official record. 

• The 28-page Legal Pleading Template for Divorce Filing can be used for filing for divorce.

• The Legal Pleading for Party Filing for Divorce template is used for divorce filings.

• The Prenuptial Agreement template can be used prior to marriage to divide assets.

• The Notice of Lawsuit template can be used to notify a defendant of charges filed.

• The No Fault Divorce Agreement template can be used between two married parties who don’t contest or argue divorce reasons.

• The No Fault Divorce Agreement Children can be used to grant mutual child custody arrangements.

Property and Estate Legal Pleading Templates

• The Petition to Recover Possession of Property template can be used to allow a property owner or to repossess property.

• The 28-line Legal Filing for Filing Bankruptcy in U.S. District Court template can be used to file for bankruptcy. 

• The Petition to Probate Will template can be used to petition a deceased party’s probate will.

• The Grant Deed Template allows for property to be transferred from one party to another legally.

• The Affidavit Collection Disbursement Distribution template can be used in the process of verifying that estate was distributed correctly.

• The Claim Against Estate template can be used to file an estate claim.

• The Release of Claim Against Estate template can be used to dissociate and release heirs from an estate. 

General Legal Pleading Templates

• The Complaint for Defamation of Character template is used for litigation against another party for defamation or slander.
• The Plaintiff vs. Defendant in a Civil Lawsuit template is for use when the plaintiff is suing the defendant through civil court. 

• The Restraining Order template is for general use in cases involving the elderly, domestic cases, or involving minors.

• The Motion to Vacate Judgement template can be used to request the overturn of a judgement. 

• The 25-line Legal Pleading Appeals template is for use in appeals requests. 

• The 25-line Legal Pleading Plaintiff vs. Defendant in a Civil Lawsuit template can be used for when the plaintiff is suing the defendant. 

• The Answer to Complaint template can be used for answering complaints by denying or explaining the charges.

• The Affidavit of Service by Mail template is a form that can be used to prove respondent  action was performed in person in accordance with local law.

• The Motion to Dismiss Complaint template can be used to contest petitioner’s charges by a defendant. 

• The Exhibit List template is for use to list exhibits planned for presentation by either the defense or a petitioner. 

• The Summons template can be used to subpoena witnesses and defendants for legal cases as needed.

• The General Denial template can be used to deny the claims or complaints of a petitioner. 

• The Request for Discovery template helps with requesting reports, exhibits, and files necessary for a legal case.

• The Federal Court Subpoena template can be used by law firms and lawyers to subpoena during federal court cases.

• The Notice to Defend template can be used to notify defendants that to protect their rights a response is needed. 

• The Affidavit of Service By Mail template is used to prove respondent to an action according to local law requirements has been served.

• The Notice of Motion to Strike template is used to block answers, motions, or complaints.

• The Petition Emancipation Minor template is for minors over sixteen to seek emancipation from guardians.

• The Confidentiality Agreement template addresses the sharing of confidential information and outlines procedures and legalities. 

• The Opposition to Motion for Summary Judgement template can be used to give reasons for motion dismissal.

• The Notice of Motion to Withdraw template can be used to withdraw an objection by defendants and attorneys.

• The 28-line Legal Appellee to Respond to Appellant template can be used for appelle to respond to appellant. 

• The Answer by Defendant template can be used by defendant to respond to charges brought against them.

• The Notice of Hearing template can be used to provide notice of court hearings that are scheduled.

• The General Declaration template can be used during legal depositions.

• The Small Claims Affidavit template can be used within small claims court filings.

• The Witness List template is used to call trial witnesses.

• The Motion for Contempt template is used when it’s asked to issue a summons and hold a defendant in contempt.

• The Motion for Default Judgement template can be used to request  a default judgement. 

• The Request for Judgement and Reply to Admission template can be used to request a judgement when the plaintiff doesn’t agree with the reparations payment plan.

• The Petition Injunction template can be used to request an injunction against a person who is threatening harm on another.

• The Default Request Affidavit Entry and Judgement can be used to request a judgement against a defendant who fails to show in court as scheduled.

• The Ex Parte Restraining Order template is for temporary restraining order requests.

• The Ex Parte Temporary Custody template is for use during a court case and requests temporary custody of children believed to be in danger.

• The Petition Breach of Contract template can seek damages due to breach of business contract.

• The Agreed Motion to Dismiss template can be used to settle disputes out of court.

• The Motion to Set Aside Judgement template can be used to request a motion is overturned in cases of mistakes, neglect, fraud, misconduct, and more.

• The Order of Proof template is used to list documentation, evidence, and witnesses in a case.

• The Motion to Compel Discovery template can be used to compel a party refusing to provide discovery to do so. 

• The Agreed Order to Dismissal template can be used in the case where both parties agree to dismiss a court case.

• The Motion for Continuance template is used when more time is needed to gather evidence pertaining to a case.

• The Request for Admissions Response is used by defendants in response to admission of facts requests.

• The Interrogatory template can be used to ask for details and answers from the opposing party in the case of malpractice, child support, divorce, and more.

• The Motion to Admit Evidence template can be used to admit new evidence into court.

• The Motion to Quash template seeks to invalidate previous court ruling.

• The Motion to Continue template can be used to request the court continue with trial or hearing.

• The Motion to Enforce template can be used to enforce an opposing party who is failing to obey to instead comply.

• The Motion for New Trial template is used to request a new trial if there appears to be a miscarriage of justice.

• The Motion to Suppress template can be used to suppress evidence that has not been lawfully obtained.

• The Motion to Amend Complaint template can be used to request a modification of complaint against a defendant. 

• The Motion to Modify Sentence template can be used to request a modification of a sentence based on hardship. 

• The Motion to Sever template allows a defendant to request a separate trial from other co-defendants in the same trial. 

• The Appearance Bond template can be used prior to trial as needed.

• The Motion to Hold In Contempt template can be used when a party doesn’t obey court orders as set forth.

• The Affidavit of Prejudice template can be used to request a hearing that is impartial in the case that an official is considered prejudice against one of the parties involved.

• The Motion to Modify Bond Conditions template requests conditions of release be modified.

• The Motion to Expedite template can be used to request hearing speed be increased.

• The Motion to Exclude Evidence template can be used when it is believed evidence was illegally obtained or mishandled. 

• The Request to Appear Before a Specific Judge template can be used when a certain judge is desired to preside over the court case.

• The Motion to Abate template can be used to request a temporary suspension of court proceedings when needed to sort through issues or evidence.

• The Motion to Recuse template can be used to request a judge be recused from overseeing a trial due to inability to maintain fairness or impartiality. 

• The Peremptory Challenge template can be used to request a new judge due to a current one being prejudice. 

• The Motion for Nolle Prosequi template can be used to drop charges against a defendant.

• The Motion to Hold in Abeyance template can be used to suspend legal proceedings and hold in abeyance temporarily. 

• The Motion to Bifurcate Trial template can be used to bifurcate a related trial into two parts.

• The Deposition Counter-Designations template can be used to respond in a designation to the other parties involved.

• The Motion to Gag template can be used to place a gag on a party involved disallowing them from publicly speaking.

• The Motion to Dismiss Statute Limitations template can be used to request a case be dismissed based upon expired statute of limitations involved.

• The Petition to Probate Will template can be used to petition a deceased party’s probate will.

• The Response to Temporary Restraining Order template can be used to respond to a restraining order in place.