Which term refers to the document that identifies the court and the parties at the top of a pleading?

• A. Proof of service
• B. Case chronology
• C. Caption
• D. Docket control

Answer: (C)

The caption is the heading at the top of a pleading that identifies the court and the parties. It typically lists the court name, the parties’ names (such as plaintiff and defendant or petitioner and respondent), the case number, and sometimes the action type or attorney information. This header ties the document to the correct case and jurisdiction, ensuring it’s filed in the right court and linked to the right parties. The other terms refer to different items: proof of service confirms that the other party was served with the papers; a case chronology is a timeline of events in the case; docket control deals with managing court dates and entries.