Pleadings

Definition of Pleadings

Note: See a more comprehensive approach to the Pleadings legal concept in the American Law Encyclopedia

Formal statements of claims and responses by parties to a legal action. The Pleadings become the basis of the questions taken to trial. The civil process commences with the filing of a complaint by the plaintiff. The complaint is answered by the defendant. Additional submissions, governed by the rules of civil procedure, may follow. The Pleadings are the total of these submissions filed by the parties.

See Also

Answer (Law of the United States) Discovery (Law of the United States).

Resources

Pleadings Related Resources

• Pleadings in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Civil Judicial Process Keywords in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Civil Process Keywords in the International Legal Dictionary

Notes

• “Pleadings”, The American Law Dictionary, 1991, California

Pleadings (Civil Judicial Process)