Rule 3-304.Pleading time and place

District Court · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 13, 2026

In one sentenceRule 3-304 requires a pleading to state the time and place of an event only when that time or place matters to the claim or defense.

Full Text of Rule 3-304

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Time and place shall be averred in a pleading when material to the cause of action or ground of defense.

Committee Note & Source

Source. This Rule is derived from former M.D.R. 301 a (i).

Plain-English Summary

Rule 3-304 is one line, and it narrows rather than expands what a pleading has to say. Time and place go into a pleading only when they are material — when they bear on whether the cause of action or the defense holds up. If the timing or location of an event has no bearing on the claim, the pleading does not need to mention it.

The rule works alongside Rule 3-303's instruction to keep averments simple, concise, and direct. Where a statute of limitations, a filing deadline, or the location of an incident drives the outcome, the pleading should say so plainly; otherwise, leave it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to state the exact date and location of every event in my complaint?

No. State time and place only when they matter to the cause of action or the defense.

When would time or place be material?

Whenever the claim or defense turns on it — for example, when a limitations period, a contract deadline, or the location of an incident affects whether the claim or defense succeeds.

What happens if I leave out an immaterial date by mistake?

Nothing. Rule 3-304 only requires time and place when they matter to the claim or defense, so an immaterial date has no bearing on the pleading's sufficiency either way.

Source & verification. Rule text, Committee Note, Source note, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Maryland Rules, adopted by the Supreme Court of Maryland. Last verified July 13, 2026. · Official source

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