Reasonable Particularity Law and Legal Definition
Reasonable particularity is a term that varies according to the context in which it is used, but generally means with enough detail to serve the purposes of the situation involved. For example, when a description of a missing wallet is required, such details as the amount of cash inside, the color of the wallet, the name on the cards, etc. may be asked, and if the person claiming it knows how to answer these particular descriptions, the description may be considered to contain sufficient particularity to assume ownership.
In a civil complaint, statements in the pleadings must be sufficiently or reasonably particular to give the court and parties notice of the transactions intended to be proved and the material elements of each cause of action or defense. In a criminal context, the particularity requirement limits a search to those places where a court has determined that there is probable cause to search. A description in a warrant of the place to be searched satisfies the particularity requirement if it permits the executing officer 'to locate with reasonable effort the premises to be searched. If the executing officer reasonably can determine the premises to be searched from the face of the warrant, the particularity requirement is met.
