A party served with a pleading stating a crossclaim against him shall serve an answer thereto within 30 days after service upon him. Also fill out the certificate of service with the date on which you intend to mail a copy to the opposing side and sign it.The certificate of service is. A pleading must allege the date, time and place of an offense with enough specificity to enable the defendant to defend against the charge. This guide is intended to help a person who wants to file or defend a civil case in the United States. Pleadings in civil litigation are formal written documents that outline the claims, defenses, and legal arguments of the parties involved in a lawsuit. The features of the Filers. (b) Service - How made. When filling out the address information use the most frequent address. What must be included in the complaint?