§ 3.1.1 Cause of Action v. Claim for Relief
Few legal terms have eluded definition as has the hydra-headed "cause of action," the once linchpin of any claimant's case. In an effort to simplify pleadings requirements, the "notice pleading" regime adopted by Arizona and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure eliminates the use of "cause of action" in determining a pleading's sufficiency. In its place is substituted the requirement that any pleading setting forth a claim for relief contain a short and plains statement showing that the pleader is entitled to relief. (Hereafter generally referred to as a "claim for relief.")
In practice, whether "cause of action" and "claim for relief" have meaningful difference is not entirely clear. Many...
