Rule 84.Appendix of Forms

Group XI: General Provisions · Last amended March 1, 2011 · Last verified July 15, 2026

In one sentenceRule 84 confirms that the sample forms in the rules' Appendix meet the requirements of these rules and illustrate the kind of simple, brief pleading the rules expect.

Full Text of Rule 84

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The forms in the Appendix suffice under these rules and illustrate the simplicity and brevity that these rules contemplate.

Explanatory Note

Rule 84 was amended, effective March 1, 2011. Rule 84 is identical to Fed.R.Civ.P. 84. The forms contained in the Appendix are intended for illustration only. They

are limited in number, as no attempt has been made to furnish a manual of forms. Rule 84 was amended, effective March 1, 2011, in response to the December 1, 2007, revision of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure. The language and organization of the rule were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 84 tells a lawyer or self-represented party something concrete about what a compliant pleading looks like: the forms collected in the Appendix suffice under these rules. It is not a demand to copy the forms word for word — it is confirmation that a filing built on that model satisfies the rules, and a demonstration of the simplicity and brevity these rules contemplate throughout.

The forms are deliberately limited in number. The rule is not meant to supply a comprehensive manual covering every kind of pleading or motion; it exists for illustration, to show what a plain, uncluttered filing looks like rather than to catalog every possible one. Rule 84 has stayed unchanged in substance since it was adopted — the only amendment on record, in 2011, was a style-only revision made alongside similar changes across the rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to use the appendix forms exactly as written?

Rule 84 says the forms suffice under these rules, which shows that following their model satisfies the requirements — it does not mean any other simple, compliant filing is unacceptable.

Does the appendix include a form for every kind of pleading or motion?

No. The forms are limited in number and meant for illustration, not as a complete manual covering every possible filing.

What is the point of including sample forms in the rules at all?

To give a concrete example of the simplicity and brevity these rules contemplate, showing that a plain, brief filing can fully satisfy the procedural requirements.

Has Rule 84 changed in substance over the years?

No. Its only amendment, effective in 2011, was a style and terminology revision made across the rules following a 2007 restyling of the federal rules; the rule's substance is unchanged.

If my complaint looks different from the appendix forms, is it automatically deficient?

Not automatically. Rule 84 confirms the appendix forms are one way to satisfy the rules; the actual pleading requirements come from rules like Rule 8 and Rule 10, which govern what a pleading must contain and how it must be formatted.

Source & verification. Rule text and the Explanatory Note are reproduced verbatim from the North Dakota Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court of North Dakota. Last verified July 15, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: sample pleading forms north dakotaappendix of forms nd civil proceduresimplicity of pleading forms ndmodel complaint form nd rulesofficial pleading forms appendix