Which Legal Letter Do I Need? Match Your Problem to the Right Letter

How does the legal letter finder work?

Pick the situation closest to yours from the menu. The finder points you to the guide that explains the rules for that problem and to the matching letter service.

If nothing on the list fits, the sections below sort letters by what they ask the reader to do, which is the quickest way to place an unusual problem.

What are the main types of legal letters?

Legal letters fall into five groups, defined by the action they request.

The first two are the most often confused; demand letter vs cease and desist compares them. If a letter has arrived at your door instead, start with how to respond to a demand letter.

How do you tell which letter fits your situation?

Work from the outcome you want, then check for rules that dictate the form.

1. Write one sentence saying what you want the reader to do: pay, stop, correct, hand over records, or take formal notice.
2. Identify the right recipient, such as the business's legal name, the property manager, the employer or the agency.
3. Check whether a statute requires a specific notice first, and how it must be delivered, since some require certified mail or a waiting period.
4. Find your filing deadline and confirm the letter and its reply window fit inside it.
5. Gather the documents that prove each point: the contract, receipts, photos, messages and any earlier notices.
6. If you want two things, such as payment and an end to certain conduct, state each request separately in the same letter.

For step four, the statute of limitations calculator gives an estimated last day to file for common claim types.

Which letters have rules set by California law?

Some letters must follow a statute's timing or delivery rules. Three examples:

• Consumer claims under the CLRA. At least 30 days before suing a business for damages under the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, you must notify it in writing of the violations and demand a fix, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested (Civil Code 1782).
• Claims against a public entity. A claim for death, injury to a person, or damage to personal property or growing crops must be presented within six months, and other claims within one year (Government Code 911.2). See the guide to a government claim against a California city.
• Personnel records. A current or former employee, or their representative, can request them in writing, and the employer must make them available within 30 calendar days, or up to 35 days if both agree in writing (Labor Code 1198.5).

When is a letter the wrong tool?

A letter asks; it cannot order anyone to do anything. In these situations, start somewhere else.

• You have been sued. A summons in a regular civil case gives you 30 days to file a written response with the court (CCP 412.20). In an eviction case, the response is due within 10 court days after service (CCP 1167, as amended effective January 1, 2025). A letter to the other side is not a response.
• You are in danger. Call 911. A letter offers no protection.
• You need an order to stop harassment. A civil harassment restraining order is a court order the police can enforce (CCP 527.6). The courts' self-help guide says a judge decides on temporary protection the same day the forms are turned in or by the next business day.
• Your deadline has nearly run. A letter does not pause the statute of limitations, so a filing may need to come first.

When to have an attorney write your letter

Once you know the letter type, the details still matter: the right statute, a clear amount or request, a workable deadline and a delivery method that leaves proof. With Talk to My Lawyer, a licensed California attorney writes your letter from your facts and documents and sends it on your behalf.

If a court case is already filed, someone's safety is at risk, or a deadline is days away, speak with a lawyer about your facts before sending anything.