Who does Rule 3 normally apply to?

• A. The clerk
• B. The plaintiffs
• C. The court
• D. The defendants

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that Rule 3 governs when a civil action starts, and it starts when the plaintiff files a complaint with the court. That initiates the action, so Rule 3 is about the party who brings the suit—the plaintiff. The clerk handles the filing, the court administers the case, and the defendants are the ones who are sued and respond. So Rule 3 normally applies to the plaintiffs because they are the ones who commence the action by filing the complaint.