Rule 11.Signing pleadings, motions, and other papers; representations to the court; sanctions

Group III: Pleadings and Motions · Last amended March 1, 2019 · Last verified July 14, 2026

In one sentenceRule 11 requires every pleading, motion, and paper to be signed, spells out what an attorney or party certifies by filing it, and lets the court impose sanctions for violations after notice and a chance to withdraw or correct the filing.

Full Text of Rule 11

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(a) Signature. Every pleading, written motion, and other paper must be signed by at least one attorney of record in the attorney’s name—or by a party personally if the party is unrepresented. The paper must state the signer’s address, email address, and telephone number. Unless a rule or statute specifically states otherwise, a pleading need not be verified or accompanied by an affidavit. The court must strike an unsigned paper unless the omission is promptly corrected after being called to the attorney’s or party’s attention.

(b) Representations to the Court. By presenting to the court a pleading, written motion, or other paper— whether by signing, filing, submitting, or later advocating it—an attorney or unrepresented party certifies that to the best of the person’s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances:

(1) it is not being presented for any improper purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of litigation;

(2) the claims, defenses, and other legal contentions are warranted by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument for extending, modifying, or reversing existing law or for establishing new law;

(3) the factual contentions have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likely have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery; and

(4) the denials of factual contentions are warranted on the evidence or, if specifically so identified, are reasonably based on belief or a lack of information.

(1) In General. If, after notice and a reasonable opportunity to respond, the court determines that Rule 11(b) has been violated, the court may impose an appropriate sanction on any attorney, law firm, or party that violated the rule or is responsible for the violation. Absent exceptional circumstances, a law firm must be held jointly responsible for a violation committed by its partner, associate, or employee.

(2) Motion for Sanctions. A motion for sanctions must be made separately from any other motion and must describe the specific conduct that allegedly violates Rule 11(b). The motion must be served under Rule 5, but it must not be filed or be presented to the court if the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, or denial is withdrawn or appropriately corrected within 21 days after service or within another time the court sets. If warranted, the court may award to the prevailing party the reasonable expenses, including attorney fees, incurred for presenting or opposing the motion.

(3) On the Court’s Initiative. On its own, the court may order an attorney, law firm, or party to show cause why conduct specifically described in the order has not violated Rule 11(b).

(4) Nature of a Sanction. A sanction imposed under this rule must be limited to what suffices to deter repetition of the conduct or comparable conduct by others similarly situated. The sanction may include nonmonetary directives; an order to pay a penalty into court; or, if imposed on motion and warranted for effective deterrence, an order directing payment to the movant of part or all of the reasonable attorney fees and other expenses directly resulting from the violation.

(5) Limitations on Monetary Sanctions. The court must not impose a monetary sanction:

(A) against a represented party for violating Rule 11(b)(2); or

(B) on its own, unless it issued the show-cause order under Rule 11(c)(3) before voluntary dismissal or settlement of the claims made by or against the party that is, or whose attorneys are, to be sanctioned.

(6) Requirements for an Order. An order imposing a sanction must describe the sanctioned conduct and explain the basis for the sanction.

(d) Inapplicability to Discovery. This rule does not apply to disclosures and discovery requests, responses, objections, and motions under Rules 16.1, 16.2, 16.205, 26 through 37, and 45(a)(4). Sanctions for improper discovery or refusal to make or allow discovery are governed by Rules 26(g) and 37.

End

Notes

Drafter’s Note, Amendment Effective January 1, 2005: The rule is amended to conform to the federal rule, as amended in 1993, in its entirety. A cross-reference to Rules 26(g) and 37 was added to subsection (d) to clarify their application to discovery violations.

Amendment History

Amended eff. 5-15-54; Amended 12-13-85, eff. 2-11-86; Amended eff. 1-1-05; Amended eff. 7-1-08; Amended eff. 3-1-19.

Plain-English Summary

Every pleading, written motion, and other paper must carry the signature of an attorney of record or, if the person has no attorney, the party itself, along with the signer's address, email, and phone number. Verification or a supporting affidavit is not required unless some other rule or statute demands it, and the court must strike an unsigned paper unless the problem is fixed promptly once pointed out. By signing, filing, or advocating a paper, the signer certifies — after a reasonable inquiry — that it is not filed for an improper purpose such as harassment or delay, that its legal positions are warranted by existing law or a nonfrivolous argument to change it, and that its factual assertions and denials have or will likely have evidentiary support.

When Rule 11(b) is violated, the court may sanction the responsible attorney, law firm, or party after notice and a chance to respond, and a law firm is ordinarily held jointly responsible for a violation by one of its own. A motion for sanctions must describe the offending conduct and be served on the opposing side first; the rule gives the other side 21 days to withdraw or correct the challenged filing before the motion can be filed with the court. The court can also raise the issue on its own through a show-cause order. Any sanction imposed must go no further than needed to deter repetition, monetary sanctions against a represented party are barred for a mere legal-argument violation, and a self-initiated sanction generally requires the show-cause order to have issued before the claims were voluntarily dismissed or settled. Rule 11 does not reach discovery disputes, which are handled instead under Rules 26(g) and 37.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I file something without signing it?

The court must strike the unsigned paper unless the omission is promptly corrected once it is called to the attorney's or party's attention.

What is the 21-day safe harbor for a Rule 11 motion?

A party seeking sanctions must serve the motion on the opposing side before filing it with the court, and it cannot be filed if the challenged paper, claim, or defense is withdrawn or corrected within 21 days of that service (or another period the court sets).

Can I be sanctioned just for making a legal argument that loses?

Not for that alone. Rule 11(b)(2) is satisfied if the legal position is warranted by existing law or a nonfrivolous argument to change it, and the court cannot impose a monetary sanction against a represented party for a violation of that provision.

Does Rule 11 apply to discovery disputes?

No. The rule expressly excludes disclosures and discovery requests, responses, objections, and motions, which are instead governed by Rules 26(g) and 37.

Can the court sanction a party without a motion from the other side?

Yes, on its own initiative through a show-cause order describing the conduct at issue, though a self-initiated monetary sanction generally requires that order to have issued before the claims were voluntarily dismissed or settled.

Source & verification. Rule text, official Advisory Committee Notes, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court of Nevada. Last verified July 14, 2026. · Official source

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