A formal written statement of the facts and claims of each party to a lawsuit.

• A. Allegation
• B. Pleading
• C. Complaint
• D. Cause of Action

Answer: (B)

Pleading is a formal written statement of the facts and claims of each party to a lawsuit. This term covers the documents that parties file to lay out what happened, what they want the court to do, and the legal theories supporting their position. It’s the vehicle that begins litigation and defines the issues the court will consider.

The description fits pleading because it isn’t limited to a single document. A complaint is a specific pleading that starts the case, but pleadings include all the formal written statements by both sides—answers, replies, cross-claims, and defenses—that outline the facts, claims, and legal theories involved. An allegation is a specific factual assertion within a pleading, not the entire document. A cause of action is the legal claim or theory for relief asserted within a pleading, such as breach of contract or negligence, but it is a component of a pleading rather than the document as a whole.