Legal Definitions - general count

Definition: A part of an indictment or complaint that charges the suspect or defendant with a distinct offense or claim. It can be a statement of a distinct claim in a complaint or similar pleading.

Examples:

• Common count: In a plaintiff's pleading for debt, the common count is a standard language that is not based on the individual case's circumstances. It is intended to guard against a possible variance and enable the plaintiff to take advantage of any ground of liability that the proof may disclose.
• General count: A count that states the plaintiff's claim without undue particularity.
• Money count: A count that gives rise to a claim for payment of money, usually founded on a simple contract.
• Multiple counts: Several separate causes of action or charged offenses contained in a single pleading or indictment.
• Special count: A section of a pleading in which the plaintiff's claim is stated with great particularity, usually employed only when the pleading rules require specificity.

These examples illustrate how a count can be used in different legal contexts, such as in a plaintiff's pleading for debt or in an indictment charging the suspect with a distinct offense. A general count is a count that states the plaintiff's claim without undue particularity, while a special count is a section of a pleading in which the plaintiff's claim is stated with great particularity. Multiple counts refer to several separate causes of action or charged offenses contained in a single pleading or indictment.