When is a Rule 12(c) motion proper to file?

• A. After pleadings are closed or early enough to not delay trial
• B. Before any pleadings are served
• C. At any time during proceedings
• D. Only after discovery ends

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that a Rule 12(c) motion for judgment on the pleadings is appropriate once the pleadings are closed, but filed early enough to avoid delaying the trial. It is a tool to test whether, on the face of the complaint and the answer, the plaintiff has stated a legally enough claim, using only the information contained in the pleadings (no new evidence). Because it relies on the pleadings themselves, you can’t file it before any pleadings are served, and you don’t have to wait for discovery to end. It’s about finalizing whether the current pleadings already show a claim or defenses that entitle judgment as a matter of law, without introducing new facts from discovery.