Legal Definitions - complaint

A complaint is the initial legal document filed with a court by a party (known as the plaintiff) to formally begin a civil lawsuit. It serves as the foundation of the case, outlining the plaintiff's claims against another party (the defendant) and requesting specific relief or remedies from the court. The complaint must establish why the court has the authority to hear the case, detail the factual basis for the plaintiff's legal claims, and clearly state what the plaintiff wants the court to order, such as monetary damages or a specific action. Once filed, the complaint is officially delivered to the defendant, informing them that they are being sued and the reasons why.

Examples:

• Imagine a small business owner, Ms. Chen, who hired a marketing agency to run a major advertising campaign. The contract specified certain performance metrics and a timeline. However, the agency failed to meet the agreed-upon targets, delivered the campaign late, and caused Ms. Chen significant financial losses. After attempts to resolve the issue directly failed, Ms. Chen decides to sue the agency.

  Ms. Chen would file a complaint with the court. In this document, she would describe the contract, how the marketing agency breached its terms, the financial harm she suffered as a result, and request the court to order the agency to pay her monetary damages to cover her losses.

• Consider Mr. Davies, who was seriously injured when he slipped and fell on a wet, unmarked floor in a grocery store. He suffered a broken leg, requiring surgery and extensive physical therapy, leading to substantial medical bills and lost wages from his job. He believes the store was negligent in maintaining a safe environment for its customers.

  Mr. Davies would initiate a lawsuit by filing a complaint against the grocery store. His complaint would detail the incident, the store's alleged negligence (failure to warn of the wet floor), the injuries and financial damages he sustained, and ask the court to award him compensation for his medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

• Suppose a group of homeowners discovers that a nearby factory has been releasing pollutants into the local river for years, contaminating their drinking water supply and causing health issues for their families. They want the factory to stop the pollution and compensate them for the harm caused.

  The homeowners would file a complaint in court against the factory. Their complaint would describe the factory's polluting activities, the resulting contamination and health problems, and request the court to issue an order (an injunction) to stop the pollution, as well as award them financial compensation for their medical costs and other damages.