Each averment of a pleading shall be simple, concise and direct. No technical forms of pleading or motions are required.
Rule 55.04.Technical Forms Not Required in Pleading.
Part I · Rule 55: Pleadings, Motions and Hearing · Last amended September 1, 1973 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 55.04 requires only that each averment in a pleading be simple, concise, and direct, and it dispenses with any technical or formal pleading language in Missouri civil practice.
Full Text of Rule 55.04
Amendment History
Adopted Jan. 19, 1973, eff. Sept. 1, 1973.
Official Comment
This is the same as prior Rule 55.05. Compare: Rule 8(e)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 55.04 is short, but it sets the tone for how Missouri pleadings are supposed to read. Each averment — each factual statement in a pleading — should be simple, concise, and direct. There’s no need to reach for stock legal phrases or a particular form to make a claim or defense count.
That approach fits with the broader notice-pleading philosophy running through Rule 55: what matters is a clear statement of what happened and what relief is sought, not whether the pleader used the traditionally expected wording. It works alongside Rule 55.05’s short-and-plain-statement standard and Rule 55.24’s instruction that pleadings be construed to do substantial justice — together they favor clarity over formality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Missouri pleadings need special legal language?
No. Rule 55.04 requires only that averments be simple, concise, and direct — no technical wording is required.
What does “simple, concise, and direct” mean under this rule?
It means a plain factual statement, without legal formalities or stock phrasing, that clearly conveys what’s being alleged.
Are technical pleading forms required in Missouri?
No. The rule expressly says no technical forms of pleading or motions are required.
How does this rule relate to notice pleading?
It reinforces it — clarity and directness matter more than following a particular legal form or set of magic words.
Does plain language satisfy Missouri’s pleading requirements?
Yes, as long as it also meets the short-and-plain-statement standard in Rule 55.05.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Missouri State & Federal Court Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Missouri. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: no technical forms requiredplain pleading standardsimple concise and directnotice pleading Missouritechnical forms not required