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Plaint (guide + free sample)

This post covers everything you need to know about plaint.

Here you will learn

  • what is plaint
  • contents of a plaint
  • The consequence of filling defective Plaint
  • Sample of the plaint
  • etc,

Let’s get started

what is Plaint?

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A plaint is the main legal document that is filed by a person to commence a civil suit. It contains two major parties, the party who claims and seeks court redress is called the plaintiff and the party to whom redress is sought is called the defendant.

Contents of plaint

The following are the contents of the plaint as indicated under Order VII rule 1 of the Civil Procedure Code [CAP 33 R.R 2002]

  1. Name of the court in which the suit is brought.
  2. The name description and place of residence of the defendant as far as they can be ascertained.
  3. Where the plaintiff or the defendant is a minor person of unsound mind, then a statement of that effect.
  4. The facts consist of the cause of the action and when it arose.
  5. The facts showing the court has jurisdiction.
  6. The relief the plaintiff claims.
  7. Where the plaintiff has allowed setoff or relinquished a portion of his claim the amount so allowed or relinquished.
  8. A statement of the value of the subject matter. This is for the purpose of determining the jurisdiction of the court and the court fees so far as the case admits.
  9. It should include a verification clause, date, and place of verification with the signature of the plaintiff

To avoid unnecessary writing mistakes when drafting a plaint, you may use writing assistant tools. You can check here to see how this tool helps me to improve my legal drafting by over 110% within 11 weeks. and why you may need it too.

The consequence of filling defective Plaint

The following are the legal effects of filling a defective plaint.

Plaint will be rejected by the court

The legal effect of the plaint lacking the essential features is that it shall be rejected. For instance, if the plaint does not disclose the course of action, the court can and shall reject the plaint.

This has been shown in the case of MUKESHI G. JOSHI Vs GINTEX SUPPLIERS AND TWO OTHERS Civil appeal No.15 of 2001 whereby a court said that if a plant does not disclose the course of action the judge is required to reject and strike it out.

You may read ORDER VII RULE 11 of CAP 33 to see other reasons which may cause the plaint to be rejected apart from lack of cause of action.

Once the plaint is rejected the remedy available is to correct the mistakes and file a fresh plaint (new one.)

Ratification

The court may ratify the minor problems of the plaint as it may appear fit. Ratification is provided under UNDER ORDER I RULE 9  of the code.

Amendment

This remedy may be exercised under ORDER VI RULE 17 of the code which states that

The court may at any stage of the proceedings allow either party to alter or amend his pleading in such manner and on such terms as may be just, and all such amendments shall be made as may be necessary for the purpose of determining the real questions in controversy between the parties

Plaint format

The following is the plaint format

IN THE HIGH COURT OF TANZANIA

(……………. DISTRICT REGISTRY)

AT ………………….

CIVIL CASE NO. ……….OF  ………….

 …………………………………………….…….. PLAINTIFF

VERSUS

 …………………….. DEFENDANT

PLAINT

The Plaintiff above-named states as follows:

1. That the plaintiff is a natural person residing and working for gain within the City of Dar es Salaam and her address of service for the purposes of this suit is:

2. That the defendant is a………………………..  For purposes of this suit, the address of service of the defendant is;

3. That…………….…………………………..

4. That……………………………………..

5. That…………………………………………

6. That the cause of action arose in …………….. and for purpose of court fees the Plaintiff’s claim against the Defendant is T. Shs. ……………. and thus this Honourable Court has jurisdiction to entertain and determine this matter.

WHEREFORE Plaintiff prays for judgment and decree against Defendant as follows:

1. That the defendant pays the Plaintiff interest on (a) above at a commercial rate of 35% per annum from the date the cause of action arose until judgment.

2. That the defendant pays the Plaintiff interest on (a) and (b) above at court rate from the date of judgment to satisfaction of judgment debt

3. Costs of this suit.

4. Any other relief(s) this Honourable Court may deem just to grant.

Dated at …………….. this ……… day of ……………….,  …………..

………….

 PLAINTIFF

VERIFICATION

All that is stated hereinabove is true to the best of my knowledge.

 ……………..

PLAINTIFF

Presented for filing this …………. day of……………….., ……………

…………………………

REGISTRY OFFICER

COPY TO BE SERVED UPON:

……………

……………

………

DRAWN AND FILED BY:

…..

……
……..
……..

Sample of the plaint

The following is the plaint sample

In the High Court of Tanzania

[Commercial Division]

At………………

Commercial Case Number ……………….. of 20…

XYZ Company Limited ……………..……………………………. Plaintiff

Versus

YYY Company Limited ……………………….…………….  Defendant

Plaint

The Plaintiff above-mentioned states as follows:

1. That the Plaintiff is a body corporate registered in Tanzania under the provisions of the Companies Act, Cap 212 R. E. 2002; running the business of a ginning, and its Board of Directors has duly sanctioned institution of this matter. Its address for the purpose of this suit shall be in the care of:

AAA Attorneys

NNN Building, 4thFloorm

P. O. Box………………

Dar Es Salaam

2. That the defendant is an insurance company registered and carrying on the business of insurance in the United Republic of Tanzania. Its address is at:

CCC

MMM Building, 8th Floor

P. O. Box……………

Dar es Salaam

3. That the Plaintiff sues Defendant for a declaration that the Plaintiff suffered loss from the insured risks by Defendant for which indemnification in favor of the Plaintiff was due; payment of specific damage in the tune of Tshs…………………………………….. or as shall be assessed as compensation and/or damage following the occurrence of fire and windstorm that destroyed the Plaintiff’s godowns full of cotton lint and seeds insured by the Defendant, payment of general damages at a rate to be assessed by the Court; payment of interests accruing thereof and costs of this suit.

4. That Plaintiff has been a client of Defendant in insurance coverage of various risks of Plaintiff’s properties.

5. That by a Cover Note Deeds/Policies No……………………………………. issued by the agent/broker of the Defendant, viz …………………………………………… Insurance Agency/Broker (hereinafter the Agent/Broker), in favor of Plaintiff on ……………………………………….., and in consideration of premiums paid and to be paid by the Plaintiff to Defendant, Defendant insured the plaintiff against loss or damage by fire as follows:

Cotton in godown valued at Tshs……………………………..00

Cotton Seeds valued at Tshs……………………………………..00

6. That the said coverage extended for one calendar year commencing on the day of its execution i.e. ………………………………………20… and was meant to come to an end on the ……………………………………………….20.. It was another term of the said contract between Plaintiff and Defendant that the premium payable for the said coverage was Tshs…………………………………….00, which was paid in full. Copy of the Cover Notes/Policies and premium receipts thereof are hereby attached and collectively marked as “Annexure XYZ – 1” forming part of this Plaint with Court’s leave

7. That on 28th April 2009 during the life span of the insurance policy under reference, the devastating fire erupted as a result of an electrical fault and completely burnt the Plaintiff’s………………. kilograms of cotton that were stored in the godown.

8. Further, on 6th May 2009, the locality of III Municipality in which the Plaintiff had godowns was badly hit by thunderstorms associated with heavy down droughts whereby heavy winds damaged the Plaintiff’s premises leaving the ginnery unroofed and its hedge wall fallen down. Attached and collectively marked as Annexure XYZ-2’ are copies of fire and meteorological reports from the said region. Court’s leave is sought to make them part of this plaint.

9. Plaintiff immediately upon the occurrence of the two incidences stated in paragraphs 8 and 9 hereinabove, reported the accident to Defendant as required by the fire and allied perils insurance policy.

10. To Plaintiff’s dismay, Defendant unilaterally canceled the policy forthwith after the intimation of incidences herein and repudiated the claims thereof despite the fact that Plaintiff was not at any fault under the policy terms howsoever. On strong protest, Defendant very reluctantly reconsidered his stand and decided to cavalierly deal with the claims.

11. In view of the foregoing position, based on his sole decision and approval, Defendant commissioned……………………………..to assess the damaged properties and adjust the loss accordingly. Both agents after liaison with the Plaintiff did not arrive at a conclusion regarding the extent of loss and liability and promised to complete the exercise later on.

12. Upon visiting and leaving the locus in quo Plaintiff waited to be advised of the development from Defendant’s end to no avail. After such a long wait, -almost………………months, the Plaintiff’s Managing Director, later on, decided to visit the Defendant’s offices in…………….. only to be told that the two claims were not payable.

13. Whereas Defendant said that the reason for repudiating the windstorm claim was for the loss having had fallen “within deductible under the policy”, the fire claim was not payable because, according to the insurer, liability did not attach due to the loss being occasioned by an excluded peril – “Spontaneous Combustion”; on one hand, and lack of “proximate cause of loss”, on the other. Defendant concluded by advising that their claim files had accordingly been marked as “No Claim”.

14. Once again, Plaintiff strenuously disputed Defendant’s grounds for repudiating the claims. He categorically asserted that prime reasons backing up the Defendant’s position were contrary to the authentic III Municipal Fire Department Meteorological Agency reports which had named the causes of losses to be a fire resulting from electric fault (not spontaneous combustion) and windstorm damage respectively.

15. Further, Plaintiff reiterated to Defendant that the adjustors in the course of conducting the envisaged instructions did not unequivocally establish the loss arising from windstorm damage and/or did not vindicate to Plaintiff conclusive figures and/or extent of the adjusted loss. Therefore, Plaintiff had not executed the Loss Acceptance Form/Discharge of Liability Form/or Voucher; but simply learn belatedly that the loss fell below the deductible to justify the ground of repudiation.

16. That to the surprise of the Plaintiff, Defendant has refused to appoint another independent loss adjuster to re-assess and readjust the claims; instead declined from honoring the claims in terms of the policy arguing that in his understanding, the two claims totaling Tshs…………………………………….were simply not payable.

17. That Plaintiff has and is resisting all the allegations made by Defendant on the non-attachment of policy liability, loss falling within policy excess (deductible), and causes of the losses as untrue, deceptive and calculated strategically to lower the Defendant’s degree of exposure in terms of correct, fitting and adequate compensation to the Plaintiff at the sole detriment of the latter contrary to the contract entered between them. He hence claims from Defendant the total figures stated in the foregoing paragraph. Copies of the letters by Plaintiff to Defendant are appended herein and marked collectively as Annexure “XYZ-3” forming part of this Plaint.

18. In addition to the averments in the preceding paragraph, Plaintiff states further that in line with the calculations done according to the submitted estimates by Plaintiff to the assessor/adjustor/appointee of Defendant i.e…………………………Ltd and the Bureau of Industrial Cooperation (BICO), the real indemnity sum that should be awarded to the Plaintiff about Tshs. …………………..………………..

19. Further, if Defendant had settled the claims expeditiously, Plaintiff would have not suffered the loss of profit accruable from subsequent reinvestment of indemnity amounts from the date of claim settlement to the present. Plaintiff thus claims such amount as to be assessed by the Honorable Court.

20. That, efforts by Plaintiff to have Defendant pay the claims in terms of the agreed policy and/or resolve this matter amicably have always been frustrated by the latter who has remained stubborn and disinterested in such efforts.

21. That the cause of action which is the fire accident that occurred in …………………………..the amount of compensation being sought is over and above Tshs. 100,000,000.00 hence this Honourable Court has both territorial and pecuniary jurisdiction to entertain this matter.

THEREFORE Plaintiffs pray for Judgment and Decree as follows:

1.A declaration that Defendant is in total breach of the fire and allied perils insurance policy between the parties;

2. Assessment to be done by an independent insurance assessor/adjustor based on the correct sum insured and establish the right, just, and fitting indemnity to the Plaintiff;

3. Order against Defendant to pay Plaintiff on the sum that shall be found out on (b) above;

4. That the Defendant be ordered to flatly release and/or discharge property in (b) above with immediate effect;

5. Payment of interest at LIBOR plus 1% of the sum found at (d) from the date of judgment to the date of full and final payment

6. Payment of the General damages as shall be assessed by the Court but not less than Tshs. 500,000,000.00;

7. Payment of interest at 12% of the Court rate on the decretal sum from the date of judgment to the date of final payment;

8. Costs of this suit and

9. Any other relief the Honourable Court shall deem fit and just to grant.

Dated at …………….. this …………… day of July 20…..

……………………………………………………….

a senior officer of the Plaintiff able to depose to the facts of this suit

Verification

I,………………………… being the Managing Director of the Plaintiff do hereby verify that all that is stated in paragraphs 1 through 21 hereinabove is true to the best of my own knowledge and what is contained in paragraph 22 is partly true to my knowledge and partly based on the advice given to me by Mr………………………. Advocate, which I verily believe to be true

Verified…………….. this………………..day of………………20…

……………………………………………………….

Senior Officer of the Plaintiff able to depose to the facts of this suit

Presented for filing this ……………. day of……………20…

………….……………………………..

Registry Officer

Copy to be Served Upon

CCC

MMM Building, 8th Floor

P. O. Box……………

Dar es Salaam

Drawn & Filed By

AAA Attorneys

NNN Building, 4th Floor

P. O. Box………………

Dar Es Salaam

See also

Isack Kimaro
Isack Kimaro

Isack Kimaro, a lawyer, Creative Writer and self-taught SEO expert has been a prominent author of law-related topics since 2017. Through hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge, Isack has successfully navigated the legal industry by providing valuable and easy-to-understand legal information to 500,000+ individuals of all levels of understanding.