§ Rule 9 Pleading special matters

Rule 9. Pleading special matters

    (a) Pleading Special Matters--Capacity. It is not necessary to aver the capacity of a party to sue or be sued or the authority of a party to sue or be sued in a representative capacity or the legal existence of an organized association of persons that is made a party, except that when persons are made parties by the designation of unknown owners or unknown heirs or devisees of any deceased person, the pleader shall briefly allege such matters as are within the pleader's knowledge to identify such unknown parties and their possible connection in the claim set forth. When a party desires to raise an issue as to the legal existence of any party or 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, the party shall do so by specific negative averment, which shall include such supporting particulars as are peculiarly within the pleader's knowledge.

    (b) Fraud, Mistake, Condition of the Mind, Violation of Civil or Constitutional Rights. In all averments of fraud or mistake, or violation of civil or constitutional rights, the circumstances constituting fraud or mistake, or violation of civil or constitutional rights shall be stated with particularity. Malice, intent, knowledge, and other condition of mind of a person may be averred generally.

    (c) Conditions 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.

    (d) Official Document or Act. In pleading an official document or official act it is sufficient to aver that the document was issued or the act done in compliance with law. In pleading any public or private statute of the state of Idaho or of the United States, or any ordinance of a city or village of the state of Idaho, it is sufficient to refer to such statute or ordinance by the appropriate designation in the official or the recognized compilation thereof.

    (e) Judgment. 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.

    (f) Time 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.

    (g) Damages. When items of special damage are claimed, they shall be identified by category and the specific dollar amount may be stated. When items of general damage or punitive damages are claimed, no dollar amount or figure shall be included in the complaint beyond a statement reciting that the jurisdictional amount established for filing the action is satisfied.

    (h) Limitations. In pleading the statute of limitations it is sufficient to state generally that the action is barred, and allege with particularity the Session Law or the section of the Idaho Code upon which the pleader relies.

    (i) Libel or Slander. In an action for libel or slander it is not necessary to state in the complaint any extrinsic facts for the purpose of showing the application to the plaintiff of the defamatory matter out of which the cause of action arose; but it is sufficient to state, generally, that the same was published or spoken concerning the plaintiff. In such an action, the defendant may in his answer, allege both the truth of the matter charged as defamatory, and any mitigating circumstances to reduce the amount of damages.

    (j) Description of Real Property. In an action for the recovery of real property, it must be described in the complaint with such certainty as to enable an officer, upon execution, to identify it.

    The rule headings for Idaho Rules of Civil Procedure have been editorially supplied.