How to Format a Pleading Paper
A "pleading" refers generally to any legal document filed with the court in a civil lawsuit. The most common pleadings are the complaint and the answer. The complaint starts the lawsuit and tells the person being sued the nature of the allegations against him. The answer allows the person being sued to admit or deny the allegations. The format and contents of the pleading will vary based on what type of document you are drafting. It is important to refer to the rules of civil procedure for your jurisdiction as well as any local rules that apply to the specific court in which you are litigating your case.
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Instructions
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Format the caption. The caption is a block of text at the top of a legal pleading that contains the following information: the court in which the suit has been filed, the names of the parties (plaintiffs and defendants), the case number assigned by the court and the name of the judge. The name of the court appears centered at the top of the page. The rest of the information appears in two columns directly below the name of the court. In the left-hand column, type the names of the parties. The plaintiff's name appears first, followed by a comma and then the word "plaintiff." Then, on a separate line, type a "v." The "v" stands for "versus" and indicates that any name after the "v" is a defendant in the case. On the next line, type the name of the defendant followed by a comma and the word "defendant." If there are multiple plaintiffs or defendants, include all of the names. In the right-hand column, type the case number and the name of the judge.
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Title the document. Directly below the caption, a pleading must clearly state what type of document it is, for instance, complaint, answer or motion. The title of the document must be centered and should be in a bold or underlined font. It is common for the title to be in all capital letters.
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Separate allegations into paragraphs. Pleadings cannot be typed in a narrative format. Rather, each allegation must appear in a separate, numbered paragraph. Each paragraph starts on a distinct line and should typically contain only one sentence or idea.
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Review for accuracy. Anyone who files a pleading with the court is responsible for its contents. For instance, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 states that a person who files a document with the court is certifying that to the best of his knowledge, the allegations of the pleading are supported by the law and evidence and are not filed for an improper purpose, such as to harass the opposing party. Some state courts require the parties to "verify" their pleadings, which means that they must certify under penalty of perjury that everything in them is true.
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Format your signature. The court and the opposing party need to know who filed the pleading and how to reach the filer. Your signature appears at the bottom of the document and must be followed by your typed name, your address, your phone number and your role in the case, for instance, plaintiff or defendant.
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Tips & Warnings
Consult a local lawyer to learn the specific rules for your jurisdiction.
Many courts have a website or help desk with forms for different types of pleadings.
Without a proper caption, your pleading can get lost or misfiled in the courthouse.
False pleadings can expose you to liability.
References
Resources
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