Comes, , Plaintiff, And Files This Complaint Form

Use a COMES, , Plaintiff, And Files This Complaint template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What this complaint form does

This complaint form is a court pleading in which the plaintiff identifies the parties, states the facts supporting the claim, and asks the court for relief. “Comes, Plaintiff, and Files This Complaint” is commonly used as opening language rather than a unique federal form number or standardized government form. The filer must adapt the caption, jurisdiction, parties, numbered allegations, causes of action, requested relief, signature, and certificate information to the applicable court’s rules. A completed draft may be signed electronically where permitted, but filing requirements remain controlled by the court and state law.

How this complaint workflow works

The signNow workflow prepares the pleading for signature; the court still controls filing, service, and acceptance.

Upload complaint: Upload the complaint PDF to signNow.
Check fields: Review auto-detected fields and add missing signature or date fields.
Route signatures: Send the prepared complaint to authorized signers.
Preserve record: Store the completed pleading with its audit trail.

Complete this complaint in signNow

Prepare the complaint first, then use signNow to place fields, route signatures, and preserve evidence of completion.

Upload:
Upload complaint PDF
Check fields:
Review detected fields
Assign signers:
Add each signer
Send:
Send signature request
Sign:
Review and sign
Preserve:
Download audit record

Authenticate signer:

Confirm the signer’s identity through the selected email or authentication method.

Capture timestamp:

Record the exact date and time of each signing event.

Hash document:

Calculate a document hash before and after signature completion.

Seal record:

Seal the completed record so later changes become detectable.

Build audit trail:

Attach signer actions, IP details, and completion history.

Export evidence:

Export the signed complaint and completion certificate for court records.

be ready to get more

Get legally-binding signatures now!

Start free trial

Request a call

Best ROI. Our customers achieve an average 7x ROI within the first six months.
Scales with your use cases. From SMBs to mid-market, airSlate SignNow delivers results for businesses of all sizes.
Intuitive UI and API. Sign and send documents from your apps in minutes.

Plaintiffs and counsel

Litigants and counsel can prepare the complaint caption, allegations, exhibits, and requested relief before sending it for permitted electronic signatures. Court rules still determine whether electronic execution and filing are accepted.

Business legal teams

Businesses may use the document for civil claims, contract disputes, or internal legal review, but should remove confidential information and follow the designated court’s filing and service rules.

Legal standing and document limits

An electronic signature on a complaint may be legally recognized under the federal ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. chapter 96, and applicable state electronic-transactions law when intent, consent, attribution, and record reproducibility are shown. Court orders, official court filings, wills, codicils, testamentary trusts, and certain family-law documents are excluded or subject to special rules, so the receiving court’s requirements control.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Use the signNow web app when counsel prepares the complaint on a desktop and needs to place fields precisely before sending it for signature.
Use the signNow mobile app when an authorized signer must review or sign the complaint from an iOS or Android device.
Use kiosk mode when a supervised signer completes the complaint at a controlled office or intake location; Business Premium includes kiosk mode.
Use a shareable signing link when the responsible recipient should open the prepared complaint without a separate email invitation.

Prepare complaint

Review the caption, jurisdiction, allegations, exhibits, and requested relief before signature.

Deliver to signers

Send the finalized complaint to each required signer or attorney.

Complete signatures

Signer turnaround depends on the court’s filing schedule and required approvals.

Archive completed record

Download the completed record and preserve the audit trail with filing evidence.

Retention depends on record category

This complaint form has no universal retention period; apply the rule governing the underlying case or attached records.

Three years for tax records

Keep tax-related supporting records three years from filing under IRC §6501(a), unless another period applies.

Six years for HIPAA records

Keep HIPAA-related records six years from creation or last effective date under 45 CFR §164.530(j).

Three years for I-9 records

Keep employment Form I-9 records three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever is later, under 8 CFR §274a.2.

Five years for OSHA records

Keep OSHA injury records five years following the covered year under 29 CFR §1904.33.

Seven years for SOX records

Keep Sarbanes-Oxley audit records seven years under 15 U.S.C. §7245 when that rule applies.

Record-keeping practices for this complaint

Preserve the signed pleading as evidence while applying the retention rule for the case and any attached regulated records.

Export the audit trail with the signed complaint

Export the completed complaint and certificate of completion immediately after all required signatures are finished. Keep the audit trail with the case record so signer identity, timestamps, and actions remain associated with the exact submitted version.

Match retention to the underlying record

Use the applicable court rule and case-specific retention instruction rather than assuming a universal period. If the complaint includes tax, health, employment, or regulated records, apply the controlling authority for that record category.

Limit access to case materials

Restrict access to the complaint, exhibits, and audit trail using case-based permissions. Remove unnecessary personal information before sending, and confirm every recipient’s role before disclosure.

Review the final pleading before filing

Compare the signed PDF with the intended final pleading before filing. Confirm the caption, parties, jurisdiction, numbered allegations, relief requested, signature blocks, and exhibits are complete and internally consistent.

Authentication for complaint signers

Signer authentication:

Email link or configured identity check

Digital certificates:

PKI-based certificate options available

X.509 certificates:

X.509 certificate support

SMS OTP:

SMS one-time passcode verification

Two-factor authentication:

Two-step identity verification

ID verification:

Additional identity proofing when configured

Connect complaint workflows to business systems

signNow connects complaint-document workflows with CRM, ERP, cloud-storage, and collaboration systems used by legal and business teams.

Complaint form signing questions

These answers distinguish signNow workflow functions from court-specific filing, service, and admissibility requirements.

Upload the final complaint as a PDF, then check every detected field manually. signNow Business includes templates and audit trails, but it does not determine whether the court accepts electronic filing or signatures. Confirm local rules before sending.

The Business plan is listed at $8 per user per month with annual billing and includes audit trails, templates, and mobile apps. It does not replace a court filing fee, service fee, or attorney review.

Business Premium is listed at $15 per user per month annually and adds bulk send, kiosk mode, request payments, and quick invite links. Bulk send is useful only when substantially identical documents require multiple recipients.

Signers can receive an email invitation or a signing link. If stronger authentication is needed, configure options supported by the account and preserve the resulting audit trail; court rules may require a different authentication method.

ESIGN and UETA generally support electronic signatures when intent, consent, attribution, and reproducible records exist. Court filings remain subject to procedural rules, and excluded records such as official court filings may require another process.

Export the signed complaint, certificate of completion, and audit-trail record together. Store them in a controlled location with the case file; signNow provides the signing record, while the court or applicable law determines retention.

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating

BE READY TO GET MORE

Get this form now!

If you believe that this page should be taken down, please follow our DMCA take-down process.