RULE6

KINDSOFPLEADINGS
Section1.Pleadingsdefined.

Pleadingsarethewrittenstatementsofthe
respectiveclaimsanddefensesoftheparties
submittedtothecourtforappropriatejudgment.
Sec.2.Pleadingsallowed.

Theclaimsofapartyareassertedinacomplaint,
counterclaim,crossclaim,third(fourth,etc.)
partycomplaint,orcomplaintinintervention.
Thedefensesofapartyareallegedintheanswerto
thepleadingassertingaclaimagainsthim.
Ananswermayberespondedtobyareply.
Sec.3.Complaint.

Thecomplaintisthepleadingallegingthe
plaintiff'scauseorcausesofaction.Thenamesand
residencesoftheplaintiffanddefendantmustbe
statedinthecomplaint.
Sec.4.Answer.

Ananswerisapleadinginwhichadefendingparty
setsforthhisdefenses.
Sec.5.Defenses.

Defensesmayeitherbenegativeoraffirmative.
(a)Anegativedefenseisthespecificdenialofthe
materialfactorfactsallegedinthepleadingof
theclaimantessentialtohiscauseorcausesof
action.
(b)Anaffirmativedefenseisanallegationofanew
matterwhich,whilehypotheticallyadmittingthe
materialallegationsinthepleadingofthe
claimant,wouldneverthelesspreventorbarrecovery
byhim.Theaffirmativedefensesincludefraud,
statuteoflimitations,release,payment,
illegality,statuteoffrauds,estoppel,former
recovery,dischargeinbankruptcy,andanyother
matterbywayofconfessionandavoidance.

Sec.6.Counterclaim.

Acounterclaimisanyclaimwhichadefendingparty
mayhaveagainstanopposingparty.
Sec.7.Compulsorycounterclaim.

Acompulsorycounterclaimisonewhich,being
cognizablebytheregularcourtsofjustice,arises
outoforisconnectedwiththetransactionor
occurrenceconstitutingthesubjectmatterofthe
opposingparty'sclaimanddoesnotrequireforits
adjudicationthepresenceofthirdpartiesofwhom
thecourtcannotacquirejurisdiction.Sucha
counterclaimmustbewithinthejurisdictionofthe
courtbothastotheamountandthenaturethereof,
exceptthatinanoriginalactionbeforethe
RegionalTrialCourt,thecounterclaimmaybe
consideredcompulsoryregardlessoftheamount.
Sec.8.Crossclaim.
Acrossclaimisanyclaimbyonepartyagainsta
copartyarisingoutofthetransactionor
occurrencethatisthesubjectmattereitherofthe
originalactionorofacounterclaimtherein.Such
crossclaimmayincludeaclaimthattheparty
againstwhomitisassertedisormaybeliableto
thecrossclaimantforallorpartofaclaim
assertedintheactionagainstthecrossclaimant.
Sec.9.Countercounterclaimsandcountercrossclaims.

Acounterclaimmaybeassertedagainstanoriginal
counterclaimant.
Acrossclaimmayalsobefiledagainstanoriginal
crossclaimant.
Sec.10.Reply.

Areplyisapleading,theofficeorfunctionof
whichistodeny,orallegefactsindenialor
avoidanceofnewmattersallegedbywayofdefense
intheanswerandtherebyjoinormakeissueasto
suchnewmatters.Ifapartydoesnotfilesuch
reply,allthenewmattersallegedintheanswerare
deemedcontroverted.

Iftheplaintiffwishestointerposeanyclaims
arisingoutofthenewmatterssoalleged,such
claimsshallbesetforthinanamendedor
supplementalcomplaint.
Sec.11.Third,(fourth,etc.)partycomplaint.

Athird(fourth,etc.)partycomplaintisaclaim
thatadefendingpartymay,withleaveofcourt,
fileagainstapersonnotapartytotheaction,
calledthethird(fourth,etc.)partydefendant,for
contribution,indemnity,subrogationoranyother
relief,inrespectofhisopponent'sclaim.
Sec.12.Bringingnewparties.

Whenthepresenceofpartiesotherthanthosetothe
originalactionisrequiredforthegrantingof
completereliefinthedeterminationofa
counterclaimorcrossclaim,thecourtshallorder
themtobebroughtinasdefendants,ifjurisdiction
overthemcanbeobtained.
Sec.13.Answertothird(fourth,etc.)partycomplaint.

Athird(fourth,etc.)partydefendantmayallegein
hisanswerhisdefenses,counterclaimsorcross
claims,includingsuchdefensesthatthethird
(fourth,etc.)partyplaintiffmayhaveagainstthe
originalplaintiff'sclaim.Inpropercases,hemay
alsoassertacounterclaimagainsttheoriginal
plaintiffinrespectofthelatter'sclaimagainst
thethirdpartyplaintiff.
RULE7
PARTSOFAPLEADING
Section1.Caption.

Thecaptionsetsforththenameofthecourt,the
titleoftheaction,andthedocketnumberif
assigned.
Thetitleoftheactionindicatesthenamesofthe
parties.Theyshallallbenamedintheoriginal
complaintorpetition;butinsubsequentpleadings,
itshallbesufficientifthenameofthefirst

partyoneachsidebestatedwithanappropriate
indicationwhenthereareotherparties.
Theirrespectiveparticipationinthecaseshallbe
indicated.
Sec.2.Thebody.

Thebodyofthepleadingsetsforthitsdesignation,
theallegationsoftheparty'sclaimsordefenses,
thereliefprayedfor,andthedateofthepleading.
(a)Paragraphs.Theallegationsinthebodyofa
pleadingshallbedividedintoparagraphsso
numberedastobereadilyidentified,eachofwhich
shallcontainastatementofasinglesetof
circumstancessofarasthatcanbedonewith
convenience.Aparagraphmaybereferredtobyits
numberinallsucceedingpleadings.
(b)Headings.Whentwoormorecausesofaction
arejoined,thestatementofthefirstshallbe
prefacedbythewords"firstcauseofaction,"of
thesecondby"secondcauseofaction,"andsoon
fortheothers.
Whenoneormoreparagraphsintheanswerare
addressedtooneofseveralcausesofactioninthe
complaint,theyshallbeprefacedbythewords
"answertothefirstcauseofaction"or"answerto
thesecondcauseofaction"andsoon;andwhenone
ormoreparagraphsoftheanswerareaddressedto
severalcausesofaction,theyshallbeprefacedby
wordstothateffect.
(c)Relief.Thepleadingshallspecifytherelief
sought,butitmayaddageneralprayerforsuch
furtherorotherreliefasmaybedeemedjustor
equitable.
(d)Date.Everypleadingshallbedated.
Sec.3.Signatureandaddress.

Everypleadingmustbesignedbythepartyor
counselrepresentinghim,statingineithercasehis
addresswhichshouldnotbeapostofficebox.

Thesignatureofcounselconstitutesacertificate
byhimthathehasreadthepleading;thattothe
bestofhisknowledge,information,andbeliefthere
isgoodgroundtosupportit;andthatitisnot
interposedfordelay.
Anunsignedpleadingproducesnolegaleffect.
However,thecourtmay,initsdiscretion,allow
suchdeficiencytoberemediedifitshallappear
thatthesamewasduetomereinadvertenceandnot
intendedfordelay.Counselwhodeliberatelyfiles
anunsignedpleading,orsignsapleadingin
violationofthisRule,orallegesscandalousor
indecentmattertherein,orfailstopromptlyreport
tothecourtachangeofhisaddress,shallbe
subjecttoappropriatedisciplinaryaction.
Sec.4.Verification.
Exceptwhenotherwisespecificallyrequiredbylaw
orrule,pleadingsneednotbeunderoath,verified
oraccompaniedbyaffidavit.
Apleadingisverifiedbyanaffidavitthatthe
affianthasreadthepleadingandthatthe
allegationsthereinaretrueandcorrectofhis
knowledgeandbelief.
Apleadingrequiredtobeverifiedwhichcontainsa
verificationbasedon"informationandbelief,"or
upon"knowledge,informationandbelief,"orlacksa
properverification,shallbetreatedasanunsigned
pleading.
Sec.5.Certificationagainstforumshopping.

Theplaintifforprincipalpartyshallcertifyunder
oathinthecomplaintorotherinitiatorypleading
assertingaclaimforrelief,orinasworn
certificationannexedtheretoandsimultaneously
filedtherewith:(a)thathehasnottheretofore
commencedanyactionorfiledanyclaiminvolving
thesameissuesinanycourt,tribunalorquasi
judicialagencyand,tothebestofhisknowledge,
nosuchotheractionorclaimispendingtherein;
(b)ifthereissuchotherpendingactionorclaim,
acompletestatementofthepresentstatusthereof;
and(c)ifheshouldthereafterlearnthatthesame
orsimilaractionorclaimhasbeenfiledoris

pending,heshallreportthatfactwithinfive(5)
daystherefromtothecourtwhereinhisaforesaid
complaintorinitiatorypleadinghasbeenfiled.
Failuretocomplywiththeforegoingrequirements
shallnotbecurablebymereamendmentofthe
complaintorotherinitiatorypleadingbutshallbe
causeforthedismissalofthecasewithout
prejudice,unlessotherwiseprovided,uponmotion
andafterhearing.Thesubmissionofafalse
certificationornoncompliancewithanyofthe
undertakingsthereinshallconstituteindirect
contemptofcourt,withoutprejudicetothe
correspondingadministrativeandcriminalactions.
Iftheactsofthepartyorhiscounselclearly
constitutewillfulanddeliberateforumshopping,
thesameshallbegroundforsummarydismissalwith
prejudiceandshallconstitutedirectcontempt,as
wellasacauseforadministrativesanctions.