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CIVIL PROCEDURE

Rule 9.Pleading Special Matters

9.01Capacity

It is not necessary to aver the capacity of a party to sue or be sued, the authority of a party to sue or be sued in a representative capacity, or the legal existence of a partnership or an organized association of persons that is made a party. A party who desires to raise an issue as to the legal existence of any party, the capacity of any party to sue or be sued, or the authority of a party to sue or be sued in a representative capacity shall do so by specific negative averment, which shall include such supporting particulars as are peculiarly within the pleader's knowledge.

9.02Fraud, Mistake, Condition of Mind

In all averments of fraud or mistake, the circumstances constituting fraud or mistake shall be stated with particularity. Malice, intent, knowledge, and other condition of mind of a person may be averred generally.

9.03Conditions Precedent

In pleading the performance or occurrence of conditions precedent, it is sufficient to aver generally that all conditions precedent have been performed or have occurred. A denial of performance or occurrence shall be made specifically and with particularity.

9.04Official Document or Act

In pleading an official document or official act, it is sufficient to aver that the document was issued or the act was done in compliance with law; and in pleading any ordinance of a city, village, or borough or any special or local statute or any right derived from either, it is sufficient to refer to the ordinance or statute by its title and the date of its approval.

9.05Judgment

In pleading a judgment or decision of a domestic or foreign court, judicial or quasi-judicial tribunal, or of a board or officer, it is sufficient to aver the judgment or decision without setting forth matter showing jurisdiction to render it.

9.06Time and Place

For the purpose of testing the sufficiency of a pleading, averments of time and place are material and shall be considered like all other averments of material matter.

9.07Special Damages

When items of special damage are claimed, they shall be specifically stated.

9.08Unknown Party; How Designated

When a party is ignorant of the name of an opposing party and so alleges in the party's pleading, the opposing party may be designated by any name and when that opposing party's true name is discovered the process and all pleadings and proceedings in the action may be amended by substituting the true name.