A complaint where the plaintiff (or, in limited cases, the plaintiff's counsel) swears to the allegations, demonstrating to a court that the plaintiff has investigated the charges against the defendant and found them to be of substance.
Unless a rule or statute specifically states otherwise, a pleading need not be verified or accompanied by an affidavit.
A complaint is considered verified if, in the complaint, the plaintiff swears under penalty of perjury that everything is true and correct. Sometimes the verification will be separate from the complaint; other times it will be included at the end of the Complaint itself.
Verified complaints are required for certain causes of action. It is good practice for the attorney to have the complaint verified in order to insulate the attorney from improper or untrue allegations by his or her client. See Hillsborough County – 13th Circuit Court SmartRules™ procedural guide: MOTION FOR SANCTIONS.
Typically, a plaintiff verifies a complaint by attaching a page at the end containing a statement made under oath that: The plaintiff has reviewed the complaint. The plaintiff knows or believes that all allegations that the plaintiff has personal knowledge of to be true.
Verification of complaints is largely optional under the CPLR. There are some statutes, however, that require a verified complaint in certain circumstances. See New York Statute Search; see also Overview – Initiating a Special Proceeding.
Generally, if the complaint has been sworn to (verified), then the answer must be verified as well. See CPLR 3020. In any event, the answer must be signed by defendant's attorney or by defendant if self-represented.
An unverified complaint is a legal document that has not been signed or sworn to under oath by the person making the complaint.
Typically, a plaintiff verifies a complaint by attaching a page at the end containing a statement made under oath that: The plaintiff has reviewed the complaint. The plaintiff knows or believes that all allegations that the plaintiff has personal knowledge of to be true.
A complaint is considered verified if, in the complaint, the plaintiff swears under penalty of perjury that everything is true and correct. Sometimes the verification will be separate from the complaint; other times it will be included at the end of the Complaint itself.