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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
Pretrial 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
v t e

In law, a reply is a legal document written by a party specifically replying to a responsive declaration and in some cases an answer. A reply may be written when a party or non-moving party (the party who is not requesting relief from the court) is asserting a counterclaim or the court has ordered a reply.

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A reply, specifically in California, may be written, filed and served, when a party files a motion or Request for an Order, the non-moving party files a responsive declaration, then the moving-party wants to file a legal document specifically 'replying' to the responsive declaration.^[1]

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.

In California, the filing of a reply is subject to CCP 1005^[1] and the reply should be filed and served pursuant to these rules - typically five court days prior to a hearing see California CCP 1005 (b).^[1]

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References