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Civil procedure

special exceptions

While the purpose of a plaintiff’s petition or complaint is to inform the court and the defendant of what the plaintiff’s claims will be at trial, the purpose of special exceptions is to force clarification and specification in the pleadings when they are not clear, or sufficiently specific, or fail to plead a cause of action.

In Rhode Island, as in many jurisdictions, the initial pleading filed by a plaintiff is known as a complaint, which sets forth the plaintiff's claims and the factual basis for those claims. The complaint must provide enough detail to give the defendant fair notice of what the plaintiff's claim is and the grounds upon which it rests. If a defendant believes that a complaint is vague, ambiguous, or lacks the necessary specificity to respond, they may file a motion for a more definite statement, which is governed by Rule 12(e) of the Rhode Island Rules of Civil Procedure. This motion compels the plaintiff to clarify or make more specific allegations in the complaint. If the complaint fails to state a cause of action, the defendant may file a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6). These procedural tools serve a similar purpose to 'special exceptions' in other jurisdictions, aiming to ensure that the pleadings are clear and sufficiently specific to proceed with the case.

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Civil procedure

special exceptions

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Rhode-Island State Code

Rhode-Island State Code

Civil procedure

special exceptions

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