Civil Procedure Law

I. INTRODUCTION TO CIVIL PROCEDURE

A. An Overview of the Procedural SystemB. Process Values and Access to Justice
    FRCP 1

II. REMEDIES: WHAT RELIEF CAN LITIGATION PROVIDE?

A. Relief as a Case Planning Problem

B. Remedies: What Relief Can the Court Give?

  1. Final Remedies

    a. Overview

    b. Money Damages

    c. Non-Monetary Relief: Specific Relief and Equity

    d. Declaratory Relief

  2. Temporary Remedies

    a. Overview

    b. Preliminary Injunctions and Temporary Restraining Orders

        FRCP 65

    c. Provisional Remedies and Due Process

III. DISPUTE RESOLUTION: CHOOSING LITIGATION OR ALTERNATIVES

IV. THE PROCESS OF LITIGATION

A. Introduction to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

B. Pleading

        FRCP 7, 8, 9(b)-(g), 10, 11, 12, 13, 15

  1. The Complaint

  2. Rule 11

  3. Responding to the Complaint: Default and Pre-Answer Motions

  4. Responding to the Complaint: Answer, Reply

  5. Amendments

C. Discovery

    FRCP 26-37, 28 USC §471 et seq.

  1. The Possibilities of Discovery

  2. The Stages of Discovery

    a. Required Disclosures

        FRCP 26(a)(1)4

    b. Interrogatories and Admissions

        FRCP 33, 36, 37

    c. Production of Documents and Physical and Mental Examinations

        FRCP 34, 35

    d. Depositions

        FRCP 27-32

  3. Discovery Planning, Supplemental Discovery and the Pretrial Order

  4. Limitations on Discovery in an Adversary System

    a. Privilege

    b. Trial Preparation Material

    c. Proportionality

    d. Expert Information

    e. Discovery and Privacy

  5. Ensuring Compliance and Controlling Abuse of Discovery

    FRCP 26(g), 37

D. Pre-Trial Proceedings and Disposition

  1. Summary Judgment

    FRCP 56

  2. Settlement

    FRCP 68

  3. Default Judgment and Involuntary Dismissal

    FRCP 41(b), FRCP 55

  4. Voluntary Dismissal

    FRCP 41(a)

  5. Recap: Types of Pretrial Adjudication

E. Trials

  1. Pre-trial Conference and Order

  2. Roles of Judge and Jury

  3. Choosing and Challenging Judges and Jurors

  4. Judges Controlling Juries, Juries Trumping Judges

    FRCP 50 - Judgment as a Matter of Law in a Jury Trial; Related Motion for a New Trial; Conditional Ruling

    FRCP 59 - New Trial; Altering or Amending a Judgment

    Pennsylvania Railroad v. Chamberlain - 288 U.S. 333 (1933)

    Lind v. Schenley Industries - 278 F.2d 79 (3d Cir. 1960)
    Peterson v. Wilson - 141 F.3d 573 (5th Cir. 1998)   

F. Appeals

    28 USC §§ 1291, 1292, Fed. R. App. 21
    Apex Hosiery Co. v. Leader - 102 F.2d 702 (3d Cir. 1939)

V. THE BINDING EFFECT OF DECISIONS

A. Overview

B. Claim Preclusion

  1. Introduction

  2. Precluding the “Same” Claim - Efficiency
    Frier v. City of Vandalia - (770 F.2d 699 (7th Cir. 1985)

  3. Consistency - The Logical Implications of the Former Judgment

  4. Between the “Same” Parties
    Searle Brothers v. Searle - 588 P.2d 689 (Utah 1978)

  5. After a Final Judgment

  6. After a Judgment “On the Merits”

    FRCP 41 (b)

C. Issue Preclusion

  1. Introduction

  2. The Same Issue

  3. An Issue “Actually Litigated and Determined”

  4. An Issue “Essential to the Judgment”

  5. Between Which Parties?

D. The Boundaries of Preclusion

E. Repose: Reopened Judgments

    FRCP 60

VI. OVERVIEW OF JURISDICTION

The Constitutional Framework of Litigation

Subject Matter Jurisdiction 

Personal Jurisdiction 

Venue 

Service of Process 

VII. SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION - WHAT COURT CAN HEAR THE CASE?

    Article III, Sec. 2 of the U.S. Constitution

A. Diversity of Citizenship

    28 USC §§ 1332, 1359

B. Federal Question

    28 USC § 1331

C. Supplemental Jurisdiction

    28 USC § 1367

D. Removal from State Courts

    28 USC § 1441, 1445, 1446

E. Challenging Federal Subject Matter Jurisdiction

VIII. PERSONAL JURISDICTION

A. Jurisdiction Based on Power Over Persons

  1. Traditional Bases of Jurisdiction

  2. The Modern Formulation

    a. Power - The Constitutional Formulation

    b. Specific Jurisdiction

    c. General Jurisdiction

    d. Self-Imposed Restraints: Long-Arm Statutes

    e. Other Bases of Jurisdiction10

B. The Constitutional Requirement of Notice and Opportunity to

be Heard

C. Service of Process

    FRCP 4(a)-(g)

D. Challenging Personal Jurisdiction

IX. VENUE

A. Federal Courts

    28 USC § 1391

B. Transfer and Forum Non Conveniens

    28 USC §§ 1404, 1406, 1631

X. JOINDER OF CLAIMS AND PARTIES

A. Introduction

B. Joinder of Claims by Plaintiff, Claims by the Defendant: Counterclaims

    FRCP 13, 18

C. Joinder of Parties: Permissive, Impleader and Crossclaims

    FRCP 20, 42, 13, 14

D. More Complex Litigation

E. Compulsory Joinder of Parties

    FRCP 19

F. Intervention

    FRCP 24

G. Interpleader

    FRCP 22

    28 USC § 1335, 1397, 2361

H. Class Actions

XI. THE ERIE PROBLEM: STATE LAW AND STATE POWER IN A FEDERAL SYSTEM

A. State Law and State Power in Federal Courts

    28 USC § 1652

    28 USC § 2072

B. Determining the Scope of Federal and State Law