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.
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