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CD-120Mandatory

Order for Writ of Possession

California · Judicial Council of California · Effective January 1, 2006

This form is an official court order that tells a sheriff or marshal to take and hold property that one person claims belongs to them but that another person is keeping. It records the court's decision after hearing an application for this order.

The court describes it as: States the court’s decision (order) for a writ of possession (an order telling the sheriff to take and hold property that the plaintiff claims is theirs but that the defendant is wrongly keeping).

Open the official PDFfrom Judicial Council of California

Where this fits in a case

Judgment

Stage: Judgment

This form is used when a plaintiff applies to the court for a writ of possession, which is an order to take property from a defendant. The order is issued after the court reviews the application, which may happen after a hearing or without a hearing (ex parte).

Prepared by the court or clerk.

Common questions

Who fills out this form?
This form is for the court to fill out, as it is an official order from the judge or judicial officer.
What does this form do?
It officially orders the sheriff or marshal to take possession of property that the court believes belongs to the plaintiff.
Does this form require a fee?
The form mentions that the court may direct the issuance of the writ of possession upon the plaintiff filing a written undertaking, which involves a dollar amount.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect January 1, 2006.

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