Leave to amend

After the first chance to amend without permission, any later changes need either the other side's agreement or a court order. Courts are generally generous about granting leave to amend, especially early in a case, because they prefer to decide cases on the merits rather than on technicalities. Permission can be denied, though, if the change would be pointless, would cause real harm to the other side, has been delayed too long, or comes after repeated failed attempts to fix the same problem. Courts often grant leave to amend together with an order dismissing a complaint, giving the person a chance to try again.