Rule 11.Signing of Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Sanctions.

Last amended October 15, 2012 · Last verified July 6, 2026

In one sentenceRule 11 requires every pleading, motion, and paper to be signed by an attorney of record or an unrepresented party, and treats that signature as a certification that the filing isn't made for an improper purpose and that its legal and factual claims are supported or have a good-faith basis.

Full Text of Rule 11

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b)

(a) Signature. Every pleading, written motion, and other paper must be signed by at least one attorney of record in the attorney’s name—or by a party personally if the party is unrepresented. The paper must state the signer’s address, e-mail address, and telephone number. Unless a rule or statute specifically states otherwise, a pleading need not be verified or accompanied by an affidavit. The court must strike an unsigned paper unless the omission is promptly corrected after being called to the attorney's or party’s attention.

(b) Representations to the Court. By presenting to the court a pleading, written motion, or other paper—whether by signing, filing, submitting, or later advocating it—an attorney or unrepresented party certifies that to the best of the person’s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances:

(1) it is not being presented for any improper purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation;

(2) the claims, defenses, and other legal contentions are warranted by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument for extending, modifying, or reversing existing law or for establishing new law;

(3) the factual contentions have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likely have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery; and

(4) the denials of factual contentions are warranted on the evidence or, if specifically so identified, are reasonably based on belief or a lack of information.

End

Amendment History

(Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 743 effective December 15, 1986; by SCO 1009 effective January 15, 1990; by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994; and by SCO 1728 effective October 15, 2012)

Notes

Note: AS 10.06.628, as enacted by ch. 166, § 1, SLA 1988, amended Civil Rule 11 by requiring that a complaint for an involuntary dissolution of a corporation under AS 10.06.628 be verified.

Plain-English Summary

Every pleading, written motion, and other paper needs at least one signature — an attorney of record's, or the party's own if unrepresented — along with the signer's address, e-mail address, and telephone number. Unless some other rule or statute says otherwise, a pleading doesn't need to be verified or backed by an affidavit. If a paper comes in unsigned, the court has to strike it unless the omission gets fixed promptly once it's flagged.

Signing, filing, submitting, or later standing behind a paper is also a certification. The person presenting it is telling the court that, after a reasonable inquiry, it isn't being filed to harass anyone, cause needless delay, or drive up the cost of litigation; that its legal arguments are supported by existing law or a good-faith argument for changing it; that its factual claims have evidentiary support (or will, after a reasonable chance to investigate or take discovery); and that any denial of the other side's facts is grounded in the evidence or a reasonable belief.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has to sign a pleading or motion in Alaska?

At least one attorney of record, or the party personally if unrepresented, and the signer must also list an address, e-mail address, and telephone number.

What am I certifying by signing and filing a paper?

That it isn’t being filed for an improper purpose like harassment or delay, that its legal claims are warranted by existing law or a good-faith argument to change it, and that its factual claims have or will likely have evidentiary support.

What happens if a paper is filed without a signature?

The court must strike it, unless the missing signature is promptly added once the omission is brought to the attorney’s or party’s attention.

Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 11). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alaska (Alaska Const. art. IV, § 15). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: signing pleadings Alaskacertification of pleadingsunsigned motion Alaska courtRule 11 AlaskaAlaska R. Civ. P. 11