What forms are needed to draft a legal pleading?

Legal pleading forms include the complaint, answer and counterclaim, according to Lawyers.com. Other legal pleadings include a reply to a counterclaim; motions before, during and after trial; and amended pleadings.

Pleadings are required to commence a lawsuit, and dictate the party’s claims and defenses, explains Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute. A suit begins with a complaint, which the plaintiff files stating the grounds for the suit. The defendants may answer the claim laying out any denials of defenses, or file a counterclaim against the plaintiff. Throughout the course of the dispute, each side can amend pleadings and file motions, requesting the presiding judge to rule on a specific issue relevant to the case.