Effective - 28 Aug 1943
509.080. Defenses — form of denials. — A party shall state in short and plain terms his defenses to each claim asserted and shall admit or deny the averments upon which the adverse party relies. If he is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of an averment, he shall so state and this has the effect of a denial. Denials shall fairly meet the substance of the averments denied. When a pleader intends in good faith to deny only a part or a qualification of an averment, he shall specify so much of it as is true and material and shall deny only the remainder. Unless the pleader intends in good faith to controvert all the averments of the preceding pleading, he may make his denials as specific denials of designated averments or paragraphs, or he may generally deny all the averments except such designated averments or paragraphs as he expressly admits; but, when he does so intend to controvert all its averments he may do so by general denial.
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(L. 1943 p. 353 § 39)
Structure Missouri Revised Statutes
Title XXXV - Civil Procedure and Limitations
Section 509.010 - Shall be petition and answer — reply if answer contains counterclaim.
Section 509.020 - Caption of pleading — what set forth.
Section 509.030 - Pleading attributed to, by whom — declaration.
Section 509.040 - Technical forms not required in pleading.
Section 509.060 - Joinder of claims.
Section 509.080 - Defenses — form of denials.
Section 509.090 - Affirmative defenses.
Section 509.100 - Failure to deny, effect.
Section 509.110 - Pleading in alternative — consistency.
Section 509.120 - Averments, how made.
Section 509.130 - Adoption of statements by reference — exhibits.
Section 509.140 - Averments as to capacity or authority of parties to sue or be sued.
Section 509.150 - Partnership deemed confessed, unless denied.
Section 509.160 - Particularity required in all averments of fraud or mistake.
Section 509.170 - Conditions precedent — how pleaded.
Section 509.180 - Official documents or acts, form of pleading.
Section 509.190 - Judgments and decisions, form of pleading.
Section 509.200 - Claims of items of special damage shall be specifically stated.
Section 509.210 - Libel and slander, averments — defenses.
Section 509.220 - Private statutes, averments — laws of other states — judicial notice.
Section 509.230 - Pleading written instrument.
Section 509.240 - Execution of written instrument deemed confessed, when.
Section 509.250 - Pleadings, how construed.
Section 509.260 - Time of pleading.
Section 509.270 - Demurrers and pleas in abatement and to the jurisdiction shall not be used.
Section 509.280 - Motions, form of.
Section 509.290 - Objections which may be raised by motions.
Section 509.300 - Failure to state a claim or defense, raised on motion, when.
Section 509.310 - Motion for more definite statement or for a bill of particulars.
Section 509.320 - Matter which party may move to strike out.
Section 509.330 - Time allowed for making motions.
Section 509.340 - Consolidation of motions — waiver of objections — exceptions.
Section 509.350 - Motion searches record.
Section 509.360 - Motion for judgment on pleadings.
Section 509.370 - Time for hearing of motions.
Section 509.380 - Place of hearing.
Section 509.390 - Regular times and places for hearing motions.
Section 509.400 - Defenses which may be raised by pleading — waiver.
Section 509.410 - Objection that no demand has been made not available, when.
Section 509.420 - What a pleading shall state as a counterclaim.
Section 509.430 - Counterclaim exceeding opposing claim.
Section 509.440 - When claim may be presented as counterclaim by supplemental pleading.
Section 509.450 - Counterclaim set up by amendment, when.
Section 509.460 - Cross-claims against coparty.
Section 509.470 - Additional parties made defendants when required for counterclaim or cross-claim.
Section 509.480 - Reduction of assigned claims to the extent of all counterclaims.
Section 509.490 - Amendment of pleadings.
Section 509.500 - Amendments to conform to evidence.