The forms contained in the Appendix of Forms are sufficient under the rules and are intended to indicate the simplicity and brevity of statement which the rules contemplate.
Rule 84.Forms
Chapter XI: General Provisions · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 84 approves the Appendix of Forms attached to the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure as sufficient models for pleadings, meant to show the simplicity and brevity of statement the rules expect.
Full Text of Rule 84
Plain-English Summary
Rule 84 is a short rule that carries real weight: it approves the Appendix of Forms attached to the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure as sufficient models for pleadings filed under the rules. A pleading that follows the appropriate form's approach satisfies the rules' requirements for that kind of filing.
The rule's own text states its purpose directly — the forms exist to show the simplicity and brevity of statement the rules contemplate. That's a deliberate break from older, more formalized pleading practice, where a complaint or answer had to track particular language to be effective. Rule 84 works alongside Rule 8's plain-statement pleading standard and Rule 10's formatting requirements, giving filers a concrete example of how little a compliant pleading needs to say.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I required to use the exact wording of the official forms in the Appendix of Forms?
Rule 84 states that the Appendix forms are sufficient under the rules, meaning a filing that follows one of them satisfies the applicable pleading requirement. The rule's purpose is to show the level of simplicity and brevity the rules expect, not to lock every filer into identical wording.
Why does Rule 84 exist at all if the forms aren't mandatory?
The forms serve as a benchmark. Rule 84 says they're meant to show the simplicity and brevity of statement the rules contemplate, giving litigants and courts a concrete example of how brief and plain a compliant pleading can be.
What's in the Appendix of Forms that Rule 84 refers to?
Rule 84 doesn't spell out the Appendix's contents itself; it confirms only that the forms attached to the rules are sufficient under them. The forms exist to illustrate acceptable pleading style, not to create requirements beyond what Rules 8 and 10 already set for pleading content and form.
How does Rule 84 relate to Rule 10's requirements for the form of pleadings?
Rule 10 sets out formatting requirements like captions and numbered paragraphs, while Rule 84 points to the Appendix of Forms as an example of how simple and brief the finished pleading should read once those formatting rules are followed.
What if there's no official form for the kind of pleading or motion I need to file?
Rule 84 doesn't address that gap directly, but Rule 81(f) does: when no procedure is specifically prescribed, the court may proceed in any lawful manner consistent with the Mississippi Constitution, the civil rules, and applicable statutes.
Source & verification. Rule text and Advisory Committee Notes are
reproduced verbatim from the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Mississippi. Last verified July 14, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: appendix of forms mississippi civil procedureofficial forms mississippi civil rulessample pleading forms mississippiare mississippi civil procedure forms mandatory