Use this At A Glance Guide to learn the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure related to making a motion for leave to amend in the United States District Courts. For more detailed information, including local rules, on making a motion for leave to amend in a specific United States District Court, please see the SmartRules United States District Court Motion for Leave to Amend Guide for the court where your action is pending.
Timing:
A party may amend the party’s pleading (i.e., a complaint, counterclaim or crossclaim), once as a matter of course at any time before a responsive pleading is served. FRCP 15(a)(1)(amended 12/01/07).
A pleading to which no responsive pleading is permitted (e.g., an answer) may be amended once as a matter of right within twenty (20) days after the pleading is served. FRCP 15(a)(1)(amended 12/01/07).
At any time during the action, leave of court may be sought to file an amended pleading. FRCP 15(a)(2) and (b)(amended 12/01/07).
The court must set a cut-off date for the amendment of pleadings. FRCP 16(b)(3)(amended 12/01/07).
Motion for Leave to Amend Rules:
To amend a pleading where leave of court is not required, the amended pleading is simply filed with the court and served on all parties. FRCP 5(a) and (d)(amended 12/01/07). Service of process may need to be effected on parties who have not yet appeared.
To seek leave of court to amend a pleading based on stipulation, customarily the party seeking to amend prepares and obtains the signatures of the other parties on a stipulation agreeing to the amendment of the pleading, then prepares and submits an ex parte application to the Court, based on the stipulation, requesting leave to file the amended pleading.
Leave of court may be sought to amend a pleading to conform to proof at trial. FRCP 15(b)(amended 12/01/07).