Complaint - sustany/dvg GitHub Wiki

A complaint is the pleading that starts a case. Essentially, a document that sets forth a�jurisdictional basis�for the court's power, the plaintiff's�cause of action, and a demand for�judicial relief.

A�plaintiff�starts a civil action by filing a�pleading�called a complaint. A complaint must state all of the�plaintiff�s�claims against the�defendant, and must also specify what�remedy�the�plaintiff�is seeking. After receiving the complaint, the defendant must respond with an�answer.

Traditionally, in accord with�federal courts'�system of�notice pleading, complaints (like other�pleadings) did not need to be very specific, and did not need to specify the facts the�plaintiff�intends to prove. The Supreme Court introduced a heightened standard for complaints in 2007 with the case�Bell Atlantic v. Twombly. This case requires that a complaint must allege "enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face."

Complaints must be�served�on defendants. This lets�defendants�know that they are being sued and why.�See�Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;�particularly Rules�3,�7,�8, and�10.

Although some state courts model their�pleading�rules on the�Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, other states use very different rules. Thus,�pleading�standards for complaints may vary widely from state to state, or between state and federal courts located in the same state.�See�State Civil Procedure Rules.

The Supreme Court reiterated the level of detail required in a complaint in the case of�Ashcroft v. Iqbal.