Short answer. Section 1 of Rule 8 requires a plain, concise, direct statement of the ultimate facts, including the evidence relied on, in a methodical and logical form. If the claim or defense is based on law, the pertinent legal provisions and their applicability must also be clearly and concisely stated.
What the law says
Every pleading shall contain in a methodical and logical form, a plain, concise and direct statement of the ultimate facts, including the evidence on which the party pleading relies for his [or her] claim or defense, as the case may be.
Rule 8, Section 1 — In general. Read the full provision →
Ultimate facts, stated plainly
Section 1 sets the general standard for pleading in every pleading filed under the Rules: it must contain, in a methodical and logical form, a plain, concise and direct statement of the ultimate facts. Ultimate facts are the essential facts that establish the claim or defense — not every evidentiary detail, but the material facts a court needs to see the shape of the case. A complaint that merely alleges a conclusion, such as asserting a breach occurred without stating what was done or left undone, falls short of this standard just as much as one buried in excessive, disorganized detail.
Evidence relied on is now included
Notably, the current text also requires the evidence on which the party pleading relies for their claim or defense. This reflects the modern Rules' move toward requiring more transparency at the pleading stage than older procedural regimes, so that the opposing party and the court have some sense of what evidence backs the ultimate facts alleged, not just the bare factual assertions themselves. This is a meaningful shift from the older approach, under which a party could plead ultimate facts alone and hold back the supporting evidence until trial. Section 1 binds every pleader, plaintiff and defendant alike, on both claims and defenses; a pleading that omits ultimate facts, the supporting evidence, or, where relevant, the legal basis does not automatically get thrown out, but it becomes vulnerable to a motion attacking the pleading's sufficiency.
Legal basis must also be identified
Where a cause of action or defense is based specifically on law, Section 1 requires that the pertinent provisions thereof and their applicability to the party be clearly and concisely stated. This means a party cannot simply assert facts and leave the legal theory implicit — if the claim or defense rests on a particular statutory provision, that provision and how it applies to the party's situation must be spelled out. Taken together with the ultimate-facts and evidence requirements, this gives the court and the opposing party a complete picture from the pleading itself: what happened, what supports it, and what law makes it actionable.