The complaint is the first court filing in a lawsuit (a pleading). This document starts your civil action to recover damages from another person or a company.
As the saying goes, “First impressions are the most lasting.” You should, therefore, do more than provide the bare minimum in your complaint (or petition or claim for benefits depending on the court or administrative agency with jurisdiction).
Your civil complaint must allege facts to support legal claims under state or federal statutes or the common law (causes of action) against a defendant and say what remedy you seek (monetary damages, injunction, etc.).
But a well-written complaint can do more than this. It can frame the litigation’s scope to expand pretrial discovery into the areas you need, defeat a demurrer, a plea in bar, a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, or a motion for summary judgment, and persuade the insurance claim adjuster, defendant, and court of your case’s strength.
This article explains how to write a complaint that meets the specificity and notice pleading requirements for various tort claims.
Follow these tips to draft a civil complaint that increases the chance of winning your lawsuit or negotiating a fair settlement.
Keep reading for more information about the pleading that starts a civil suit.
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