LEGAL PRINCIPLE: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Pleadings – Parties Bound by Their Pleadings
PRINCIPLE STATEMENT
It is a basic principle of law that parties are bound by their pleadings and it is the case they present on the basis of those pleadings that must be considered by the courts of law.
RATIO DECIDENDI (SOURCE)
"It is a basic principle of law that parties are bound by their pleadings and it is the case they present on the basis of those pleadings that must be considered by the courts of law."
EXPLANATION / SCOPE
This reinforces fundamental pleading principles (Principles 209, 295-296, 299, 321, 353, 383). Parties are bound by pleadings—they cannot: prove unpleaded facts, claim unpleaded relief, or shift to different cases at trial. Courts must: consider only the case pleaded, decide based on pleaded issues, and reject evidence going beyond pleadings. “Bound by pleadings” means: parties selected their ground and must stand on it, cannot introduce new theories at trial, and cannot succeed on unpleaded bases. This serves: fair notice (opponents know case to meet), issue definition (pleadings frame disputes), preventing trial by ambush (no surprise cases), and ensuring orderly litigation. The case “presented on basis of pleadings” must: correspond to pleaded facts and claims, develop pleaded theories, and seek pleaded relief. Courts cannot: decide unpleaded issues, grant unpleaded relief, or base findings on unpleaded facts. This strict rule enforces: pleading system integrity, procedural fairness, and preventing parties from changing cases after seeing opponents’ evidence. Parties must: plead comprehensively initially, amend if necessary (before trial), or accept limitations of their pleadings.