What is the term used to describe the North Carolina pleading standard?

• A. Verified pleading
• B. Pleading with strict specificity
• C. Summary pleading
• D. Notice pleading

Answer: (D)

Notice pleading describes North Carolina’s pleading standard. It means a complaint need only give a short, plain statement of the claim and the grounds for relief, enough to put the opposing party on notice of what is being claimed and why, rather than laying out every fact in detail. The goal is to allow the case to proceed to discovery, with more specifics developed later as the case moves forward. A claim isn’t about presenting perfect, evidence-backed facts at the outset; it’s about providing enough information to show a legally cognizable claim. Verifications, or insisting on highly detailed factual pleadings, are not the defining feature of the standard, and the other options refer to different procedural concepts rather than the general pleading approach.