A plaintiff's legal grounds to sue a defendant.

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

Answer: (B)

The main concept being tested is the cause of action—the legal grounds a plaintiff has to sue a defendant. A cause of action is a legally recognized claim or right to sue that arises from facts or law, and if proven, it supports a remedy such as damages or an injunction. It’s the underlying legal theory that justifies bringing the lawsuit.

An allegation is a specific assertion within a pleading; it may describe elements of the claim but is not itself the formal legal basis to sue. A complaint is the initial pleading that sets forth the cause of action and the facts supporting it—it's the document filed with the court, not the grounds by itself. Pleading refers to the overall process of presenting claims in court, including filings like the complaint, rather than the particular legal basis for suing.

So, the plaintiff’s legal grounds to sue a defendant are the cause of action.