a Caption; names of parties. Every pleading must have a caption in the form prescribed by Rule 5.2(a), along with the pleading’s designation under Rule 7. The title of the complaint must name all the parties; the title of other pleadings and documents, after naming the first party on each side, may refer generally to other parties by the designation “et al.”
Rule 10.Form of pleadings.
Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 10 sets the formatting backbone for every pleading — the caption, numbered paragraphs, how to incorporate material by reference or attach exhibits, and how to sue a defendant whose real name isn't yet known.
Full Text of Rule 10
b Paragraphs; separate statements. A party must state its claims or defenses in numbered paragraphs, each limited as far as practicable to a single set of circumstances. A later pleading may refer by number to a paragraph in an earlier pleading. If doing so would promote clarity, each claim founded on a separate transaction or occurrence—and each defense other than a denial—must be stated in a separate count or defense.
c Adoption by reference; exhibits. A statement in a pleading may be adopted by reference elsewhere in the same pleading or in any other pleading or motion. A copy of a written instrument that is an exhibit to a pleading is a part of the pleading for all purposes.
d Using a fictitious name to identify a defendant. If the name of the defendant is unknown to the plaintiff, the defendant may be designated in the pleadings or proceeding by any name. If the defendant’s true name is discovered, the pleading or proceeding should be amended accordingly.
Amendment History
Promulgated by R-16-0010, effective January 1, 2017.
Plain-English Summary
Every pleading needs a caption built the way Rule 5.2(a) requires, plus the pleading’s own label under Rule 7 — “Complaint,” “Answer,” and so on. The complaint must name every party in its title, but later filings can shorten things by naming only the first party on each side and adding “et al.” for the rest.
Claims and defenses go in numbered paragraphs, each limited as far as practical to a single set of facts, so a later filing can point back to an earlier one by paragraph number instead of restating it. When doing so would make the pleading clearer, each claim arising from a separate event, and each defense besides a simple denial, gets its own count.
A party can adopt a statement made elsewhere in the same or another pleading or motion just by referring to it, and any written document attached as an exhibit becomes part of the pleading for every purpose — it does not need to be repeated in the body of the text.
If a plaintiff does not yet know a defendant’s real name, the rule allows suing that defendant under any placeholder name; once the true name comes to light, the pleading gets amended to reflect it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must every pleading's caption include?
Can a later filing shorten the case caption instead of naming every party again?
Yes, after naming the first party on each side, later filings may refer to the rest as “et al.”
What happens when an exhibit is attached to a pleading?
It becomes part of the pleading for all purposes, so its contents do not need to be restated in the text.
Can someone be sued before their real name is known?
Yes, under a fictitious name; once the true name is discovered, the pleading is amended accordingly.
Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the
official Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure (Ariz. R. Civ. P. 10). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: form of pleadingscaptionfictitious name defendantDoe defendant