Which term describes the formal written document that initiates civil litigation by stating the plaintiff's claims against the defendant?

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

Answer: (C)

In civil litigation, the document that starts the case by stating the plaintiff’s claims is the complaint. It is the formal written filing that lays out who’s suing, the court’s jurisdiction, the factual basis for the claims, the legal theories supporting relief, and the remedy sought, and it is the document that is served on the defendant along with a summons.

Think of it this way: a pleading is the broad category of formal written statements in court, which includes the complaint and other kinds of filings. An allegation is a specific factual assertion made within those filings. A cause of action is the legal claim itself—the theory giving rise to relief—not the actual document. So the initiating document that starts civil litigation by stating the plaintiff’s claims is the complaint.