How to Fill Out and Submit the EFS-020: Proposed Order Cover Sheet

The EFS-020 Proposed Order Cover Sheet is the one-page Judicial Council form you attach to a proposed order when submitting it electronically to a California Superior Court judge. Under California Rules of Court, Rule 3.1312(c), whenever the parties in a case are e-filing, two versions of every proposed order must go to the court, and the PDF version has to be attached to a completed EFS-020.¹ The cover sheet routes the order to the right department and links it to the correct case file. You can download it from the Judicial Council at courts.ca.gov.²

When the Form Is Required

You need the EFS-020 whenever you submit a proposed order electronically in a case where the parties are e-filing under Rules 2.250 through 2.261. The form is adopted for mandatory use by the Judicial Council and cites both Rule 2.252 and Rule 3.1312.³ Most civil cases in counties with mandatory e-filing will require it.

A few situations sit outside the rule. If your motion was unopposed and you already submitted a proposed order with the moving papers, Rule 3.1312(e) says the preparation-and-service process doesn’t apply unless the court orders otherwise.¹ Local courts can also override the statewide form. Los Angeles Superior Court does not require the EFS-020 for proposed orders in civil division cases, and it waives the editable-format requirement when the proposed order uses an approved Judicial Council or local court form.⁴ Check your county’s local rules before you file.

Self-represented litigants are generally exempt from mandatory electronic filing in California.⁵ If you’re representing yourself and file on paper, the EFS-020 doesn’t apply. Opt into e-filing voluntarily, though, and the same cover-sheet rules apply to you as to attorneys.

Deadlines That Shape the Filing

The clock starts when the judge rules. Under Rule 3.1312(a), the prevailing party has five days after the ruling to prepare a proposed order and serve it on the other parties, by a method reasonably calculated to reach them no later than the close of the next business day. The usual method-of-service extensions (extra time for mail, for example) do not apply.¹

The opposing party then has five days to approve the order as conforming to the court’s ruling or state specific reasons for disapproval. Silence within those five days counts as approval.¹ Once that window closes, you transmit the proposed order to the court promptly, together with a summary of any responses or a note that none arrived.

Family law works on a different timetable under Rule 5.125, giving the opposing party 20 calendar days from the hearing to review, object, or draft an alternate.⁶ If your case is in family court, the civil deadlines above are not the ones to follow.

Filling Out the Form

The EFS-020 is one page, but every field has to match the court’s case management data exactly. A mismatch is one of the fastest ways to get a filing bounced.

In the upper-left block, attorneys enter name, State Bar number, firm name, street address, city, state, zip code, telephone, fax, and email. Self-represented parties who have opted into e-filing enter the same contact information for themselves. Below that, identify the Superior Court by county, street address, mailing address, city and zip, and branch name. Copy these details from an existing document in your case rather than retyping from memory; even small discrepancies can trigger rejection.³

Next comes the case caption: plaintiff or petitioner, defendant or respondent, and the case number. Item 2 asks for the title of the proposed order; use the full name of the document you’re attaching, such as “Proposed Order on Motion for Summary Judgment” or “Proposed Order After Hearing.” Item 3 covers the underlying proceeding, including a description, the date and time of the hearing, and where it was held.³ Include the hearing information even if the judge ruled tentatively. The court uses it to match your submission to the right calendar entry.

Formatting the Proposed Order You Attach

The proposed order itself must follow the general document-formatting rules in Title Two of the California Rules of Court. Errors here are the kind clerks catch before a judge ever sees the file.

Page Layout

Use standard 8½-by-11-inch paper with a left margin of at least one inch and a right margin of at least half an inch. Number each page consecutively in Arabic numerals at the bottom; you may suppress the number on the first page.⁷

First Page and Font

The first page follows Rule 2.111. Name, office address, telephone, fax, email, and State Bar number go in the upper-left area starting at line one, with the right side of that space reserved for the clerk. Court name, case title, case number, and document title appear below in the standard layout.⁸ Use a proportionally spaced font at 12 points or larger; Times New Roman and Arial both qualify.⁹

Signature Area

Include a blank signature line for the judge, preceded by “Dated:” and the judge’s printed name and department. Leave generous space around the signature block so the court’s electronic stamps and seal do not overwrite the text of the order. Keep signature elements well above the bottom margin, and do not put text or page numbers in the footer zone where automated markings land. The proposed order is a standalone document; do not merge it with the motion or with the EFS-020 itself.

Submitting the Package

You submit through an Electronic Filing Service Provider (EFSP). Two versions of the proposed order go to the court:

A PDF version, with the completed EFS-020 attached to the proposed order and uploaded as a single PDF. This becomes the official court record.
An editable version in.doc or.docx format, emailed to the address the court publishes for editable proposed orders. Copy the same email and attachment to all parties in the case.¹

The editable version is what the judge works with when modifying language before signing. Skip it and expect a rejection or a delay. Los Angeles Superior Court waives the editable-format requirement when the proposed order uses a pre-approved Judicial Council or local court form.⁴

Most EFSPs charge a service fee on top of any court filing fees, and rates vary by provider and by whether the court mandates or merely permits e-filing. A proposed order accompanying an already-filed motion generally carries no separate court filing fee, but the EFSP processing fee still applies. Check your provider’s fee schedule before submitting.

Serving the Proposed Order

Electronic service is the default when all parties are e-filing. Under Rule 2.251, a party consents to electronic service by filing a notice with the court or by agreeing to terms of service through an EFSP that clearly state consent to electronic service. Parties can also file form EFS-005-CV to formalize the consent.¹⁰

If any party in the case is not required to e-file, including a self-represented litigant who hasn’t opted in, serve them by mail or personal delivery unless they have affirmatively consented to electronic service.¹⁰

File a Proof of Electronic Service on Judicial Council form POS-050 after you serve. The form documents which papers were served, who received them, the email addresses used, and the date and time of service.¹¹ Filing the proof protects you if the opposing party later says the proposed order never arrived.

What Happens After You Submit

The clerk reviews the filing for compliance. A missing cover sheet, an incorrect case number, a formatting violation, or an unpaid fee will trigger a rejection notice explaining what went wrong.¹² Fix the problem and resubmit promptly; your deadlines don’t pause while a rejected filing is corrected.

If the filing clears review, the proposed order goes to the judge’s chambers along with the editable version. The judge may sign it as submitted, modify the language using the editable file, or reject it and issue a different order. Your EFSP sends notice once the signed document is entered.

What Goes Wrong If You Miss the Rules

Under Rule 2.30, a court may impose reasonable monetary sanctions on any person who fails to comply with the California Rules of Court in a civil case. The rule sets no dollar cap; the court decides what is reasonable. The court can also order the non-compliant party to pay the opposing side’s reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, tied to a sanctions motion or order to show cause.¹³

There is a separate risk built into Rule 3.1312 itself. If the prevailing party fails to prepare and submit the proposed order on time, Rule 3.1312(d) lets any other party step in and draft it instead.¹ Handing your opponent the pen on an order memorializing a ruling you won is avoidable. Start drafting the moment the judge rules.

1
Judicial Branch of California. Rule 3.1312 – Preparation and Submission of Proposed Order
2
California Courts. Proposed Order (Cover Sheet) (EFS-020)
3
Judicial Council of California. EFS-020 Proposed Order Cover Sheet
4
Los Angeles Superior Court. New Electronic Filing Procedure for Proposed Orders in Civil Division Cases
5
Supreme Court of California. E-Filing
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Judicial Branch of California. Rule 5.125 – Preparation, Service, and Submission of Order After Hearing
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Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.109 – Page Numbering
8
Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.111 – Format of First Page
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Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.104 – Font Size
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Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.251 – Electronic Service
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California Courts. Proof of Electronic Service (POS-050)
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Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.259 – Actions by Court on Receipt of Electronic Filing
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Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.30 – Sanctions for Rules Violations in Civil Cases