pleadings

British

/ ˈpliːdɪŋz /

plural noun

Official name: statements of case. law (formerly) the formal written statements presented alternately by the claimant and defendant in a lawsuit setting out the respective matters relied upon

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He expects to see more pleadings for exemptions from state housing laws.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025

But those pleadings, often couched in apocalyptic tones, have fallen flat.

From Salon • Jan. 24, 2025

The judge reviewed all the pleadings, spoke to the victim’s family, and agreed that the negotiation was “a proper remedy” under the circumstances.

From Slate • Oct. 9, 2024

They were likewise rejected by a state court after a judge found their pleadings largely “legally incoherent despite a heavy larding of pseudo-legal rhetoric.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 4, 2024

The defense lawyer had filed no written pleadings and uttered no more than twelve transcript lines at sentencing.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023