What must appear in the 'Statement of Jurisdiction' portion of a complaint under Rule 8(a)?

• A. A short and plain statement of the grounds for the court's jurisdiction
• B. A petition identifying the court's authority
• C. A list of the court's required forms
• D. A signature of the plaintiff

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that Rule 8(a) requires a concise statement of why the federal court has authority to hear the case. In the Statement of Jurisdiction slice of the complaint you must describe the basis for federal jurisdiction—for example, that the claim arises under a federal question, or that there is complete diversity of citizenship and, where required, that the amount in controversy exceeds the statutory minimum. This section is about showing the court’s jurisdiction, not about petitioning the court, listing forms, or obtaining a signature. So the essential content is a short, plain statement of the grounds for the court’s jurisdiction.