Rule 11.Signing Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Representations to the Court; Sanctions

Last amended December 1, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 11 requires every paper to be signed and treats that signature as a certification that the filing is not for an improper purpose and is warranted by law and fact, and it authorizes sanctions subject to a 21-day notice that lets the filer withdraw the paper first.

Full Text of Rule 11

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(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.

(1) In General. If, after notice and a reasonable opportunity to respond, the court determines that Rule 11(b) has been violated, the court may impose an appropriate sanction on any attorney, law firm, or party that violated the rule or is responsible for the violation. Absent exceptional circumstances, a law firm must be held jointly responsible for a violation committed by its partner, associate, or employee.

(2) Motion for Sanctions. A motion for sanctions must be made separately from any other motion and must describe the specific conduct that allegedly violates Rule 11(b). The motion must be served under Rule 5, but it must not be filed or be presented to the court if the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, or denial is withdrawn or appropriately corrected within 21 days after service or within another time the court sets. If warranted, the court may award to the prevailing party the reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, incurred for the motion.

(3) On the Court's Initiative. On its own, the court may order an attorney, law firm, or party to show cause why conduct specifically described in the order has not violated Rule 11(b).

(4) Nature of a Sanction. A sanction imposed under this rule must be limited to what suffices to deter repetition of the conduct or comparable conduct by others similarly situated. The sanction may include nonmonetary directives; an order to pay a penalty into court; or, if imposed on motion and warranted for effective deterrence, an order directing payment to the movant of part or all of the reasonable attorney's fees and other expenses directly resulting from the violation.

(5) Limitations on Monetary Sanctions. The court must not impose a monetary sanction:

(A) against a represented party for violating Rule 11(b)(2); or

(B) on its own, unless it issued the show-cause order under Rule 11(c)(3) before voluntary dismissal or settlement of the claims made by or against the party that is, or whose attorneys are, to be sanctioned.

(6) Requirements for an Order. An order imposing a sanction must describe the sanctioned conduct and explain the basis for the sanction.

(d) Inapplicability to Discovery. This rule does not apply to disclosures and discovery requests, responses, objections, and motions under Rules 26 through 37.

End

Amendment History

(Amended April 28, 1983, effective August 1, 1983; March 2, 1987, effective August 1, 1987; April 22, 1993, effective December 1, 1993; April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007.)

Plain-English Summary

Rule 11 makes a signature mean something. Every pleading, written motion, and other paper must be signed by at least one attorney of record (or by an unrepresented party). By signing and filing, the person certifies — after a reasonable inquiry — that the paper is not presented for an improper purpose, that the legal contentions are warranted by existing law or a nonfrivolous argument to change it, that the factual contentions have or will likely have evidentiary support, and that denials are reasonably based.

If those certifications are violated, the court may impose sanctions, either on a party’s motion or on its own initiative. A key protection is the safe harbor: a sanctions motion must be served first, and the challenged paper can be withdrawn or corrected within 21 days, before the motion is filed with the court. Any sanction must be limited to what suffices to deter repetition. Rule 11 does not apply to discovery filings, which are governed by Rules 26 through 37.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Rule 11 require?

That every filing be signed, and that the signer certify — after a reasonable inquiry — that it is not for an improper purpose and that its legal and factual contentions are warranted (Rule 11(a)-(b)).

What is the Rule 11 safe harbor?

A sanctions motion must be served on the other party first; that party then has 21 days to withdraw or fix the challenged paper before the motion may be filed with the court (Rule 11(c)(2)).

What sanctions can a court impose under Rule 11?

Sanctions limited to what suffices to deter repetition — which may include nonmonetary measures, a penalty paid to the court, or, in some cases, the other side’s reasonable attorney’s fees (Rule 11(c)).

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 11), a public-domain work of the U.S. Government. Prescribed by the United States Supreme Court under the Rules Enabling Act. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: FRCP 11Fed. R. Civ. P. 11Rule 11 sanctionssigning pleadingsfrivolous filing21-day safe harbor