Reply (legal term)

Civil procedure in the United States
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Doctrines of civil procedure
Jurisdiction
Subject-matter (Federal-question Diversity Supplemental Removal) Personal (In personam In rem Quasi in rem)
Venue
Change of venue Forum non conveniens
Pleadings
Complaint (Cause of action Case Information Statement Class action (2005 Act) ) Demurrer Answer (affirmative defense) Reply Counterclaim Crossclaim Joinder Indispensable party Impleader Interpleader Intervention Other motions
Pre-trial procedure
Discovery Initial conference Interrogatories Depositions Request for admissions Request for production
Resolution without trial
Default judgment Summary judgment Voluntary dismissal Involuntary dismissal Settlement
Trial
Parties plaintiff defendant Pro se Jury (voir dire) Burden of proof Judgment (As a matter of law (JMOL) Renewed JMOL Notwithstanding verdict (JNOV) Motion to set aside De novo (new trial) ) Remedy (Injunction Damages Attorney's fee (American rule English rule) Declaratory judgment)
Appeal
Mandamus Certiorari

Look up reply (legal term) in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

This article is about the legal term. For the language use, see Reply.

The reply is a response by plaintiff to defendant's answer. A reply occurs only when defendant has asserted a counterclaim or the court has ordered a reply.

It is important to keep in mind that "plaintiff" in this context may also refer to an impleaded party. So, if a defendant impleads a party, this new party is the third-party defendant and the original defendant is the third-party plaintiff. The third-party plaintiff must file a complaint on the third-party defendant, who then must answer. The court may order a reply to this third-party defendant's answer.