Pleadings - Complaint Flashcards
What rules?
5(d) 7 8 10 11 38 9(b)
What should a pleading of claim for relief have?
Pleading of claim for relief must have:
- short and plain statement of grounds for jurisdiction
- short and plain statement of claim showing pleader is entitled to relief
- demand for relief sought
How must pleadings be construed?
Pleadings must be construed so as to do justice
What does form of pleadings include? What rule?
Form of pleadings includes
- caption and parties’ names
- numbered, separated paragraphs that can be referred to in later pleadings by number
- statement in pleading may be adopted by reference in same pleading or other pleadings/motions
R.10
Which pleadings are allowed? What rule?
- Complaint
- Answer to complaint
- Answer to counterclaim
- Answer to crossclaim
- Impleader
- Answer to impleader
- Reply to answer
Rule 7(a)
What and who starts a lawsuit? What rule?
P submits a complaint to start lawsuit
Rule 8(a)
What does P do to D to start lawsuit? What rule?
Serve on D a summons and complaint
Rule 5
How are pleadings construed? What does that mean? What rule?
Construed so as to do justice
Small errors allowed
R. 8(e)
What are the form requirements for the complaint?
- Caption
- Subject matter jurisdiction
- Prayer for relief and jury demand
- Signature
- Separate statement and numbered paragraphs
What is included in the caption? What rule?
- Name of court
- Title of pleading
- Names of parties
- File # (federally issued by clerk’s office)
R.10(a)
What is required for subject matter jurisdiction? What rule?
Short and plain statement of grounds for court’s jurisdiction
R.8(a)(1)
When is subject matter jurisdiction not required in complaint? What rule?
Court already has jurisdiction and claim needs no new jurisdictional support
R.8(a)(1)
What is included in prayer for relief and jury demand? What rules?
- Demand for remedy sought, both at law and equitable
- Located near end of document
- Must put jury demand but doesn’t have to be in same section as prayer for relief
R.8(a) for demand for relief
R.38 for jury demand
What is included in the signature? What rule?
- Date
- Signature and contact info of attorney
- Usually located after prayer for relief, very end
R.11(a)
What happens if paper is unsigned? What rule?
Unsigned paper must be stricken unless omission is promptly corrected after being called to party’s attention
R.11(a)
How do you format statements and paragraphs in complaint? What rule?
Must state claims or defenses in numbered paragraphs, each limited to single set of circumstances
R.10(b)
What is in the body of complaint? What rule?
- Short and plain statement of claim
- Showing pleader is entitled to relief
R.8(a)(2)
What are the two general aspects of the body of complaint?
- Facts
2. Law
What requires heightened pleading? What must a party do in a heightened pleading? What rule?
When alleging fraud or mistake, party must state circumstances constituting fraud or mistake with particularity
R.9(b)
For what claims is heightened pleading required? What rule?
Fraud
Mistake
R.9(b)