(a) Claim for Relief. A pleading which states a claim for relief must contain:
(1) a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief; and
(2) a demand for the relief sought, which may include relief in the alternative or different types of relief.
(b) Defenses; Admissions and Denials.
(1) In General. In responding to a pleading, a party must:
(A) state in short and plain terms its defenses to each claim asserted against it; and
(B) admit or deny the allegations asserted by an opposing party.
(2) Denials -- Responding to the Substance. A denial must fairly respond to the substance of the allegation.
(3) General and Specific Denials. A party that intends in good faith to deny all the allegations of a pleading -- including the jurisdictional grounds -- may do so by a general denial. A party that does not intend to deny all the allegations must either specifically deny designated allegations or generally deny all except those specifically admitted.
(4) Denying Part of an Allegation. A party that intends in good faith to deny only part of an allegation must admit the part that is true and deny the rest.
(5) Lacking Knowledge or Information. A party that lacks knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief about the truth of an allegation must so state, and the statement has the effect of a denial.
(6) Effect of Failing to Deny. An allegation -- other than one relating to the amount of damages -- is admitted if a responsive pleading is required and the allegation is not denied. If a responsive pleading is not required, an allegation is considered denied or avoided.
(c) Affirmative Defenses.
(1) In General. In responding to a pleading, a party must affirmatively state any avoidance or affirmative defense including, but not limited to:
• accord and satisfaction;
• action on advice of counsel;
• arbitration and award;
• assumption of risk;
• comparative negligence;
• discharge in bankruptcy;
• duress;
• estoppel;
• failure of consideration;
• fraud;
• illegality;
• injury by fellow servant;
• laches;
• license;
• payment;
• release;
• res judicata;
• statute of frauds;
• statute of limitations; and
• waiver.
(2) Mistaken Designation. If a party mistakenly designates a defense as a counterclaim, or a counterclaim as a defense, the court must, if justice requires, treat the pleading as though it were correctly designated, and may impose terms for doing so.
(d) Pleading to Be Concise and Direct; Alternative Statements; Inconsistency.
(1) In General. Each allegation must be simple, concise, and direct. No technical form is required.
(2) Alternative Statements of a Claim or Defense. A party may set out 2 or more statements of a claim or defense alternatively or hypothetically, either in a single count or defense or in separate ones. If a party makes alternative statements, the pleading is sufficient if any one of them is sufficient.
(3) Inconsistent Claims or Defenses. A party may state as many separate claims or defenses as it has, regardless of consistency.
(e) Construing Pleadings. Pleadings must be construed so as to do justice.
Rule 8 is the engine of “notice pleading.” A complaint does not need to lay out every fact or legal theory; it needs a short and plain statement of the claim showing the pleader is entitled to relief, plus a demand for the relief sought. The goal is to give the other side fair notice, not to win the case on the page.
Responding. A party answering a pleading must admit or deny each allegation, and a denial must fairly meet the substance of what is alleged. A party who lacks enough information to admit or deny says so, and that counts as a denial. Crucially, an allegation that calls for a response and is not denied is treated as admitted — except allegations about the amount of damages.
Affirmative defenses. Some defenses are waived unless raised affirmatively in the answer. Rule 8(c) lists them — including statute of limitations, release, waiver, res judicata, accord and satisfaction, and others. Mislabeling a defense as a counterclaim (or vice versa) is forgiven when justice requires.
Finally, pleadings may be simple, alternative, and even inconsistent — a party may plead as many claims or defenses as it has — and they are construed “so as to do justice.”