Rule 2.One Form of Action

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

In one sentenceRule 2 establishes that there is one form of action — the civil action — merging the historic systems of law and equity so that a single, uniform procedure governs every civil claim in the federal district courts.

Full Text of Rule 2

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There is one form of action—the civil action.

End

Amendment History

(Amended April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007.)

Plain-English Summary

Rule 2 is one sentence long, but it carries a large idea. Before the Federal Rules, a litigant had to choose between an action “at law” and a suit “in equity,” each with its own courts, pleadings, and remedies. Rule 2 abolishes that divide: there is now one form of action, the civil action.

The practical effect is that a single complaint can seek legal remedies (such as money damages) and equitable remedies (such as an injunction) in the same case under the same procedure. The 2007 amendment restyled the rule for clarity without changing its meaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “one form of action” mean?

It means federal civil procedure no longer separates lawsuits into actions at law and suits in equity. Every civil claim proceeds as a single “civil action” under one set of rules (Rule 2).

Can you ask for both damages and an injunction in one federal lawsuit?

Yes. Because Rule 2 merges law and equity into one civil action, a single complaint may request both legal and equitable relief.

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 2), 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 2Fed. R. Civ. P. 2one form of actionmerger of law and equitycivil action federal court