''Pleadings'' are the documents that start a court proceeding or reply to a court proceeding. For the person who starts a family law proceeding, the ''claimant'', this is:

<li>Notice of Family Claim,

and sometimes also:

<li>Response to Counterclaim.

For the person who is replying to a court proceeding, the ''respondent'', these documents are usually:

<li>Response to Family Claim

<li>Counterclaim

Sometimes a party's pleadings need to be changed, or ''amended''. Usually, a change is required because a fact is wrong, like a date or a name. At other times, a change is required to raise a new defence or to make a new claim.