CPLR 3024 (A) Interpretation

Subdivision (a) of CPLR 3024 is the motion for a more definitive statement. It's available only to a party required to respond to the objectionable pleading. It may be used by the defendant against the complaint and by the plaintiff against a counterclaim, for example, but it is unavailable to the plaintiff if the answer contains no counterclaim because in that case the plaintiff doesn't have to respond to the answer .... If the pleading is answerable and what the movant is really seeking is an amplification of it, the motion for a more definite statement will be denied and the movant remitted to a bill of particulars.