Legal document, the filing of which initiates a lawsuit
This article is about the legal usage. For complaints in other contexts, see Complaint (disambiguation).
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Civil procedure in the United States
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Doctrines of civil procedure
Jurisdiction
Subject-matter (Federal question
Diversity
Supplemental
Removal)
Personal (In personam
In rem
Quasi in rem)
Venue
Change of venue
Forum non conveniens
Pleadings
Complaint (Cause of action
Case Information Statement
Class action (2005 Act) )
Demurrer
Answer (affirmative defense)
Reply
Counterclaim
Crossclaim
Joinder
Indispensable party
Impleader
Interpleader
Intervention
Other motions
Pretrial procedure
Discovery
Initial conference
Interrogatories
Depositions
Request for admissions
Request for production
Resolution without trial
Default judgment
Summary judgment
Voluntary dismissal
Involuntary dismissal
Settlement
Trial
Parties
plaintiff
defendant
Pro se
Jury (voir dire)
Burden of proof
Judgment (As a matter of law (JMOL)
Renewed JMOL
Notwithstanding verdict (JNOV)
Motion to set aside
De novo (new trial) )
Remedy (Injunction
Damages
Attorney's fee (American rule
English rule)
Declaratory judgment)
Appeal
Mandamus
Certiorari
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In legal terminology, a complaint is any formal legal document that sets out the facts and legal reasons (see: cause of action) that the filing party or parties (the plaintiff(s)) believes are sufficient to support a claim against the party or parties against whom the claim is brought (the defendant(s)) that entitles the plaintiff(s) to a remedy (either money damages or injunctive relief). For example, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) that govern civil litigation in United States courts provide that a civil action is commenced with the filing or service of a pleading called a complaint. Civil court rules in states that have incorporated the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure use the same term for the same pleading.
In Civil Law, a "complaint" is the first formal action taken to officially begin a lawsuit. This written document contains the allegations against the defense, the specific laws violated, the facts that led to the dispute, and any demands made by the plaintiff to restore justice.[1]
In some jurisdictions, specific types of criminal cases may also be commenced by the filing of a complaint, also sometimes called a criminal complaint or felony complaint. Most criminal cases are prosecuted in the name of the governmental authority that promulgates criminal statutes and enforces the police power of the state with the goal of seeking criminal sanctions, such as the State (also sometimes called the People) or Crown (in Commonwealth realms). In the United States, the complaint is often associated with misdemeanor criminal charges presented by the prosecutor without the grand jury process. In most U.S. jurisdictions, the charging instrument presented to and authorized by a grand jury is referred to as an indictment.
^"Summary of civil case proceedings" (PDF). United States District Court, Northern district of Illinois. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-12-12. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
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