Paola Arrias
INTRO TO PARALEGAL STUDIES
03/18/2018
Civil Complaint
A civil complaint is an initial document that a claimant files with the clerk of the court to
initiate a claim. The civil complaint will list the facts of the case or event, what the defendant did
wrong and what the plaintiff seeks in damages (usually the plaintiff seeks some monetary
compensation). The civil complaint must be registered with the District Court where the complainant
resides or does business, or where the events or proceedings of the instance took place. The civil
complaint must be advised to the defendant, who will have time to review the charges made against
him and file a response. A reference must accompany a civil charge.
Normally, the first document filed in a suit is the civil complaint or request, which offers a
summary of the applicant’s case against the accused. A civil complaint is a document that should
distinguish the parties involved, to set up the legal foundation for the court’s jurisdiction over the
dispute, establish the legal titles of the plaintiff and relate the facts giving rise to the claims. The
