District court — civil · Pleadings
Complaint
Starts a civil action and states the claims.
Filed by: Plaintiff
Not yet verified. Compiled from the national rules and not yet verified by a reviewing attorney. The national rules are amended each December 1, and local rules, standing orders and judges' practices add to them. Confirm with the current rules before filing. This is not legal advice.
What it must include
- Caption: court name, title of the action, file number and document designation (FRCP 10(a)) naming all parties
- Short and plain statement of the grounds for jurisdiction (FRCP 8(a)(1))
- Short and plain statement of each claim (FRCP 8(a)(2)), in numbered paragraphs (FRCP 10(b))
- Demand for the relief sought (FRCP 8(a)(3))
- Jury demand, if wanted (FRCP 38(b))
- Exhibits attached as needed (FRCP 10(c))
- Signature of attorney of record with address, email and phone (FRCP 11(a))
- Civil cover sheet (JS 44) and summons for each defendant (FRCP 4(b)); filing fee or IFP application
- Disclosure statement by nongovernmental corporate parties and, in diversity cases, every party (FRCP 7.1)
- Redact Social Security and taxpayer-ID numbers, birth dates, minors’ names and financial-account numbers (FRCP 5.2(a))
Governing rules
- FRCP 3
- FRCP 8(a)
- FRCP 10
- FRCP 11
- FRCP 38(b)
Check the local rules for
- Civil cover sheet and related-case statement requirements
- Format and page limits
- Electronic-filing procedures (PDF format, file size, exhibits)
- Pleading-specific requirements (e.g. verified complaints, RICO case statements)
Applies in federal district courts. Find your court for its local requirements.
Other pleadings
Draft this filing in DraftAria.
Court-formatted template with this checklist built in, and brackets where your matter details go.