Regarding pleadings, which statement is true about the title?

• A. The title may be omitted
• B. The title need not name the parties
• C. The title must be identical to the caption's title
• D. All pleadings must contain a title

Answer: (D)

Pleadings must have a proper heading that identifies the case and the parties. This title (often called the caption) ties the document to a specific action in a particular court and helps with filing, service, and docketing. Because the court needs to know exactly which case the document belongs to and who is involved, the title cannot be omitted and it must name the parties. The caption functions as the title, so there isn’t an extra rule that the title must be identical to some other caption title; the important point is that every pleading includes this identifying heading. Therefore, the statement that all pleadings must contain a title is correct.