In pleading an official document or official act it is sufficient to aver that the document was issued or that the act was done in compliance with law.
Rule 55.17.Official Documents or Acts--Form of Pleading.
Part I · Rule 55: Pleadings, Motions and Hearing · Last amended September 1, 1973 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 55.17 allows a party to plead an official document or an official act by averring, without more, that the document was issued or the act was done in compliance with law, instead of detailing every statutory formality involved.
Full Text of Rule 55.17
Amendment History
Adopted Jan. 19, 1973, eff. Sept. 1, 1973.
Official Comment
This is the same as prior Rule 55.19. Compare: Rule 9(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Plain-English Summary
Official documents and official acts get a streamlined pleading standard under Rule 55.17. Instead of walking through every statutory step behind an official document’s issuance or an official act’s performance, a pleader can aver, by itself, that the document was issued or the act was done in compliance with law.
That shortcut avoids forcing pleaders to trace every formality a government body or officer followed to reach an official outcome. It doesn’t stop the opposing party from contesting whether the document or act complied with law — that dispute can still play out through defenses and evidence — it just keeps the pleading itself simpler at the outset.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I plead that an official document was properly issued in Missouri?
By averring that it was issued in compliance with law, without detailing every statutory step behind its issuance.
Do I need to detail every statutory formality for an official act?
No. Rule 55.17 allows an averment that the act was done in compliance with law to stand on its own.
What does “compliance with law” mean under this rule?
That the document or act followed the applicable legal requirements — the pleading doesn’t need to itemize each requirement.
Can the opposing party still challenge compliance with law?
Yes. The rule simplifies the pleading, but the other side can still dispute compliance through its defenses and evidence.
Does this rule apply to government records generally?
It applies to official documents and official acts as described in the rule, which commonly include government records and official actions.
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: pleading official documentsofficial act pleading standardcompliance with law avermentgovernment document pleading Missouri