Legal Definitions - amended pleading

An amended pleading is a revised version of a legal document filed in a court case. It replaces the original document and is filed by the party who filed the original pleading. Any subsequent motions made by the opposing party are directed at the amended pleading.

Amended pleadings are filed for various reasons, such as correcting facts, adding claims, adding affirmative defenses, or responding to a court's finding that a pleading is inadequate as a matter of law.

For example, if a plaintiff files a complaint against a defendant but later realizes that they left out important information, they can file an amended complaint to correct the mistake. The amended complaint will replace the original complaint and the defendant will have to respond to the new version.

Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure outlines the requirements and restrictions for filing amended pleadings.