Each pleading shall contain a plain and concise statement of the material facts on which the pleader relies, but not of the evidence by which they are to be proved, such statement to be divided into paragraphs numbered consecutively, Sec. [Repealed] Motion To Strike Defense and Specific Denial Answer Authority, or Failure To Object each containing as nearly as may be a separate allegation. If any such pleading does not fully disclose the ground of claim or defense, the judicial authority may order a fuller and more particular statement; and, if in the opinion of the judicial authority the pleadings do not sufficiently define the issues in dispute, it may direct the parties to prepare other issues, and such issues shall, if the parties differ, be settled by the judicial authority.
Section 10-1.Fact Pleading
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceEvery pleading in a Connecticut civil case must lay out the material facts a party relies on, not the evidence proving them, broken into consecutively numbered paragraphs with one allegation per paragraph.
Full Text of Section 10-1
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 108.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 10-1 sets the baseline standard for every pleading filed in Connecticut civil court. A pleading must give a plain and concise statement of the material facts the pleader relies on — not the evidence that will be used to prove those facts at trial. The rule requires the statement to be broken into consecutively numbered paragraphs, with each paragraph limited, as much as possible, to a single allegation.
If a pleading does not disclose the grounds of a claim or defense clearly enough, the judicial authority can order the party to file a fuller, more particular statement. And if the pleadings as filed still do not pin down the issues in dispute, the court can direct the parties to work out a statement of the issues themselves, with the court settling any disagreement between them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pleading facts and pleading evidence under Section 10-1?
Facts are the material events and circumstances that give rise to a claim or defense; evidence is the proof used later to establish those facts at trial. Section 10-1 requires only the former in a pleading.
Does each paragraph of a Connecticut pleading need to cover only one allegation?
Yes. Section 10-1 calls for consecutively numbered paragraphs, each containing, as nearly as possible, a single separate allegation.
What happens if a pleading does not clearly state the claim or defense?
The judicial authority may order the party to file a fuller and more particular statement, and if the pleadings still leave the issues unclear, the court may direct the parties to prepare a statement of the issues in dispute.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 10-1). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
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