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Alabama Pleading Paper Template

Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10 sets a statewide caption requirement: every pleading names the court, the title of the action, the file number, and a Rule 7(a) designation. Margins, font, and spacing are set by each local court's rules.

Introduction

Alabama does not use numbered-line pleading paper, and it does not fix a statewide margin, font, or line-spacing rule. What it does set is the caption. Under Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10, every pleading must contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the title of the action, the file number, and a Rule 7(a) designation. In the complaint, the title of the action includes the names of all parties; later pleadings may name the first party on each side with an appropriate indication of the other parties. Beyond that caption, the physical format of a document, including margins, font size, line spacing, and paper handling, is set by the rules of the particular court where you file, so those details vary by county and by court. Getting the caption wrong, naming the wrong court, omitting the file number, or mislabeling the pleading can lead to rejection or confusion in the clerk's office, which is why this page focuses on the part Alabama actually standardizes. This page covers the Rule 10 caption, the Rule 7(a) designation, and how to confirm the local format requirements before you file. DocDraft drafts your document on properly formatted Alabama court format from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.

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Key Things to Know

  1. 1

    Every pleading must contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the title of the action, the file number, and a Rule 7(a) designation (Alabama R. Civ. P. 10).

  2. 2

    In the complaint, the title of the action includes the names of all parties; later pleadings may name the first party on each side with an appropriate indication of the other parties (Alabama R. Civ. P. 10).

  3. 3

    The Rule 7(a) designation is the label that identifies the pleading, such as Complaint or Answer (Alabama R. Civ. P. 10).

  4. 4

    Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10 does not set a statewide margin, font, or line-spacing standard; those are governed by the rules of the local court where you file.

  5. 5

    Confirm paper size, margins, font, and any e-filing format requirements with the specific court before filing, since they are not fixed statewide.

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Pleading Paper in Alabama, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Pleading Paper guide walks through them.

Open the Pleading Paper guide

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IN THE [CIRCUIT/DISTRICT] COURT OF [COUNTY] COUNTY, ALABAMA

[Caption per Alabama R. Civ. P. 10:] [PLAINTIFF NAME], Plaintiff, v. Case No. [FILE NUMBER] [DEFENDANT NAME], Defendant.

[Rule 7(a) designation, e.g. COMPLAINT]

[Body: format, margins, font, and line spacing per the rules of the court where this is filed (not fixed statewide by Alabama R. Civ. P. 10). Confirm local requirements before filing.]

[Body of the document.]

                                    ____________________________
                                    [SIGNATURE]
                                    [TYPED NAME]
                                    [Attorney for / Self-represented] [PARTY]
                                    [ADDRESS, PHONE, E-MAIL]

Alabama Requirements for Pleading Paper

Caption with court, title, file number

Every pleading must contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the title of the action, the file number, and a Rule 7(a) designation (Alabama R. Civ. P. 10).

Party names in the title

In the complaint, the title names all parties; later pleadings may name the first party on each side with an appropriate indication of the other parties (Alabama R. Civ. P. 10).

Rule 7(a) designation

The caption must include a Rule 7(a) designation labeling the pleading, such as Complaint or Answer (Alabama R. Civ. P. 10).

Format set by local court rules

Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10 does not fix a statewide margin, font, line-spacing, or paper standard; those are set by the rules of the court where you file and should be confirmed before filing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Under Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10, every pleading must contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the title of the action, the file number, and a Rule 7(a) designation. In the complaint, the title of the action includes the names of all parties.

Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10 does not set a statewide margin requirement. Margins, font size, and line spacing are governed by the rules of the particular court where the document is filed, so the exact dimensions should be confirmed with that court.

No. Alabama does not require consecutively numbered lines down the left margin. Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10 governs the caption, and the physical format of a document, including line spacing, is set by the local court's rules rather than by a statewide pleading-paper rule.

The Rule 7(a) designation is the label in the caption that identifies the type of pleading, required by Alabama Rule of Civil Procedure 10. It tells the court and clerk what the document is, for example a complaint, an answer, or a counterclaim.