Pleadings and Motions
Pleadings
The prayer identifies the relief sought including damages, injunctive relief, declaratory judgment, fees, and costs. Rule 54(c) permits a court to grant relief a party is entitled to even if not demanded, except on default.
Default judgments are limited to the relief demanded.
Alternative Names:
Demand for Relief, Wherefore Clause
Why it Matters?
The default limitation is the practical significance, since a default judgment cannot exceed what the complaint demanded in kind or amount. That makes the prayer the ceiling in any default scenario. For defendants evaluating whether to answer, the demanded relief establishes the maximum default exposure, which is relevant to the decision when service or jurisdiction is contested.
Frequently Confused with
Frequently asked questions
Can relief exceed the prayer?
Why does that matter to a defendant?
