Short answer. Section 2 of Rule 7 requires the body to set forth the pleading's designation, the party's claims or defenses in numbered paragraphs, the relief prayed for, and the date. Multiple causes of action must each be prefaced with a heading like 'first cause of action,' 'second cause of action,' and so on.
What the law says
The body of the pleading sets forth its designation, the allegations of the party's claims or defenses, the relief prayed for, and the date of the pleading.
Rule 7, Section 2 — The body. Read the full provision →
What the law says
When two or more causes of action are joined, the statement of the first shall be prefaced by the words "first cause of action," of the second by "second cause of action," and so on for the others.
Rule 7, Section 2 — The body. Read the full provision →
The four core components
Section 2 identifies what the body of a pleading must contain: its designation (identifying what kind of pleading it is), the allegations of the party's claims or defenses, the relief being sought, and the date of the pleading. These components structure every pleading filed under the Rules, giving the court and the opposing party a predictable format to look for and rely on.
Paragraphing and headings for multiple causes of action
Subsection (a) requires that allegations be divided into numbered paragraphs, each containing a single set of circumstances so far as convenient, so any paragraph can be referred to by number in later pleadings. Subsection (b) then addresses multiple causes of action: when two or more are joined, each must be prefaced with a heading — 'first cause of action,' 'second cause of action,' and so on — and an answer addressing multiple causes of action follows the same labeling convention.
Relief sought and the required date
Subsection (c) permits the pleading to specify the relief sought while also adding a general prayer for such further or other relief as may be deemed just or equitable, giving some flexibility beyond the specific relief itemized. Subsection (d) is simple but mandatory: every pleading shall be dated, ensuring the record reflects exactly when each pleading was prepared and filed.
Why this structure is enforced
The numbered-paragraph and heading requirements are not mere formatting preferences — they let the court and the opposing party isolate exactly which allegation is being admitted, denied, or challenged, since a later pleading can refer back to a specific paragraph number instead of re-describing the allegation in full. When several causes of action are combined in one pleading, the required headings prevent the allegations supporting each claim from blurring together, which matters directly for how the answer must respond to each cause of action separately.