(a) Caption; names of parties. Every pleading shall contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the title of the action, the file number, and a designation as in Rule 7(a) of these Rules. In the complaint the title of the action shall include the names of all the parties, but in other pleadings it is sufficient to state the name of the first party on each side with an appropriate indication of other parties. The first page of the pleadings shall have either a 3- inch top margin or a 3-inch-by-3-inch space in the top right corner, to accommodate an electronic file stamp.
Rule 10.Form of Pleadings.
Last amended October 28, 2019 · Last verified July 3, 2026
In one sentenceRule 10 sets the formatting rules for a pleading's caption, numbered paragraphs, and any exhibits or documents incorporated by reference.
Full Text of Rule 10
(b) Paragraphs; separate statements. All averments of claim or defense shall be made in numbered paragraphs, the contents of each of which shall be limited as far as practicable to a statement of a single set of circumstances; and a paragraph may be referred to by number in all succeeding pleadings. Each claim founded upon a separate transaction or occurrence and each defense other than denials shall be stated in a separate count or defense whenever a separation facilitates the clear presentation of the matters set forth.
(c) Adoption by reference; exhibits. Statements in a pleading may be adopted by reference in a different part of the same pleading or in another pleading or in any motion. A copy of any written instrument which is an exhibit to a pleading is a part thereof for all purposes.
Amendment History
Amended October 31, 2019, effective nunc pro tunc October 28, 2019
Plain-English Summary
Rule 10 sets the formatting rules every pleading must follow. Each pleading needs a caption with the court's name, the action's title, the file number, and the designation required by Rule 7(a); the complaint's caption must name every party, while later pleadings need only name the first party on each side. The rule also requires either a 3-inch top margin or a 3-inch-by-3-inch block in the top right corner of the first page, to leave room for an electronic file stamp.
Beyond the caption, Rule 10 requires every averment to appear in a numbered paragraph limited, so far as practical, to a single set of circumstances, so that later pleadings can refer back to it by number, and it calls for separate counts or defenses whenever separating them would make the pleading clearer. It also allows a party to adopt a statement made elsewhere in the same or another pleading by reference, and it treats a written instrument attached as an exhibit as part of the pleading for every purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must the first page of a Hawaii pleading include?
A caption with the court's name, the action's title, the file number, and the Rule 7(a) designation, plus either a 3-inch top margin or a 3-inch-by-3-inch space in the top right corner for an electronic file stamp.
Can a pleading refer back to an earlier paragraph instead of repeating it?
Yes. Rule 10(b) numbers each paragraph so it can be referred to by number in later pleadings, and Rule 10(c) allows statements to be adopted by reference elsewhere.
Does an exhibit attached to a pleading count as part of it?
Yes. Rule 10(c) makes a written instrument attached as an exhibit part of the pleading for all purposes.
Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the
official Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure (Haw. R. Civ. P. 10). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Hawaii (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 602-11; Haw. Const. art. VI, § 7). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 3, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: pleading caption requirementsnumbered paragraphs ruleexhibits to a pleadingform of pleadings