Why would the moving party want a more definite statement?

• A. Because it demands punitive damages
• B. Because the pleading is vague or ambiguous and they cannot craft a response
• C. Because it seeks a default judgment
• D. Because it extends discovery

Answer: (B)

When a defendant faces a complaint that is too unclear to respond to, they can move for a more definite statement under Rule 12(e). This tool is designed to force the plaintiff to lay out the specifics—what precisely is being claimed, the facts supporting the claim, and the relief sought—so the defendant can craft a proper answer and the case can move forward. The remedy targets vagueness or ambiguity in the pleading that prevents a meaningful response.

That’s why the best answer is that the moving party wants a more definite statement because the pleading is vague or ambiguous and they cannot craft a response. The other options misfit because they address remedies or procedural steps that aren’t what a motion for a more definite statement is about: punitive damages relate to remedies, not clarity of the pleadings; default judgments arise from failure to plead or defend rather than from seeking clarification; and extending discovery is a separate process governed by discovery rules, not a function of forcing a clearer complaint.