Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Cited as Fed. R. Civ. P. · 113 rules
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure govern civil cases in the United States district courts. Summaries, FAQs and full rule text are being added rule by rule.
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Title I. Scope of Rules; Form of Action
Title II. Commencing an Action; Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions, and Orders
- Rule 3 Commencing an Action
- Rule 4 Summons
- Rule 4.1 Serving Other Process
- Rule 5 Serving and Filing Pleadings and Other Papers
- Rule 5.1 Constitutional Challenge to a Statute—Notice, Certification, and Intervention
- Rule 5.2 Privacy Protection for Filings Made with the Court
- Rule 6 Computing and Extending Time; Time for Motion Papers
Title III. Pleadings and Motions
- Rule 7 Pleadings Allowed; Form of Motions and Other Papers
- Rule 7.1 Disclosure Statement
- Rule 8 General Rules of Pleading
- Rule 9 Pleading Special Matters
- Rule 10 Form of Pleadings
- Rule 11 Signing Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Representations to the Court; Sanctions
- Rule 12 Defenses and Objections: When and How Presented; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings; Consolidating Motions; Waiving Defenses; Pretrial Hearing
- Rule 13 Counterclaim and Crossclaim
- Rule 14 Third-Party Practice
- Rule 15 Amended and Supplemental Pleadings
- Rule 16 Pretrial Conferences; Scheduling; Management
- Rule 16.1 Multidistrict Litigation
Title IV. Parties
- Rule 17 Plaintiff and Defendant; Capacity; Public Officers
- Rule 18 Joinder of Claims
- Rule 19 Required Joinder of Parties
- Rule 20 Permissive Joinder of Parties
- Rule 21 Misjoinder and Nonjoinder of Parties
- Rule 22 Interpleader
- Rule 23 Class Actions
- Rule 23.1 Derivative Actions
- Rule 23.2 Actions Relating to Unincorporated Associations
- Rule 24 Intervention
- Rule 25 Substitution of Parties
Title V. Disclosures and Discovery
- Rule 26 Duty to Disclose; General Provisions Governing Discovery
- Rule 27 Depositions to Perpetuate Testimony
- Rule 28 Persons Before Whom Depositions May Be Taken
- Rule 29 Stipulations About Discovery Procedure
- Rule 30 Depositions by Oral Examination
- Rule 31 Depositions by Written Questions
- Rule 32 Using Depositions in Court Proceedings
- Rule 33 Interrogatories to Parties
- Rule 34 Producing Documents, Electronically Stored Information, and Tangible Things, or Entering Onto Land, for Inspection and Other Purposes
- Rule 35 Physical and Mental Examinations
- Rule 36 Requests for Admission
- Rule 37 Failure to Make Disclosures or to Cooperate in Discovery; Sanctions
Title VI. Trials
- Rule 38 Right to a Jury Trial; Demand
- Rule 39 Trial by Jury or by the Court
- Rule 40 Scheduling Cases for Trial
- Rule 41 Dismissal of Actions
- Rule 42 Consolidation; Separate Trials
- Rule 43 Taking Testimony
- Rule 44 Proving an Official Record
- Rule 44.1 Determining Foreign Law
- Rule 45 Subpoena
- Rule 46 Objecting to a Ruling or Order
- Rule 47 Selecting Jurors
- Rule 48 Number of Jurors; Verdict; Polling
- Rule 49 Special Verdict; General Verdict and Questions
- Rule 50 Judgment as a Matter of Law in a Jury Trial; Related Motion for a New Trial; Conditional Ruling
- Rule 51 Instructions to the Jury; Objections; Preserving a Claim of Error
- Rule 52 Findings and Conclusions by the Court; Judgment on Partial Findings
- Rule 53 Masters
Title VII. Judgment
- Rule 54 Judgment; Costs
- Rule 55 Default; Default Judgment
- Rule 56 Summary Judgment
- Rule 57 Declaratory Judgment
- Rule 58 Entering Judgment
- Rule 59 New Trial; Altering or Amending a Judgment
- Rule 60 Relief From a Judgment or Order
- Rule 61 Harmless Error
- Rule 62 Stay of Proceedings to Enforce a Judgment
- Rule 62.1 Indicative Ruling on a Motion for Relief That Is Barred by a Pending Appeal
- Rule 63 Judge's Inability to Proceed
Title VIII. Provisional and Final Remedies
- Rule 64 Seizing a Person or Property
- Rule 65 Injunctions and Restraining Orders
- Rule 65.1 Proceedings Against a Security Provider
- Rule 66 Receivers
- Rule 67 Deposit Into Court
- Rule 68 Offer of Judgment
- Rule 69 Execution
- Rule 70 Enforcing a Judgment for a Specific Act
- Rule 71 Enforcing Relief for or Against a Nonparty
Title IX. Special Proceedings
- Rule 71.1 Condemning Real or Personal Property
- Rule 72 Magistrate Judges: Pretrial Order
- Rule 73 Magistrate Judges: Trial by Consent; Appeal
- Rule 74 Method of Appeal From Magistrate Judge to District Judge Under Title 28, U.S.C. § 636(c)(4) and Rule 73(d) Abrogated
- Rule 75 Proceedings on Appeal From Magistrate Judge to District Judge Under Rule 73(d) Abrogated
- Rule 76 Judgment of the District Judge on the Appeal Under Rule 73(d) and Costs Abrogated
Title X. District Courts and Clerks: Conducting Business; Issuing Orders
Title XI. General Provisions
Supplemental Rules for Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions
Supplemental Rules for Social Security Review Actions Under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g)
The Federal Rules are numbered 1 through 87, with decimal rules added over time (for example 7.1, 16.1, 23.1, and 65.1). Rules 74–76 and the Rule 84 Appendix of Forms were abrogated; they are shown here for completeness and are not in force. After the main rules come two sets of Supplemental Rules — one for Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions (Rules A–G), and one for Social Security Review Actions under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) (Rules 1–8).
Source: Administrative Office of the United States Courts (uscourts.gov) ·
Prescribed by the United States Supreme Court (under the Rules Enabling Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2072) ·
Current through December 1, 2025 ·
Official source