Civil Procedure

This is FindLaw’s collection of Civil Procedure articles, part of the Litigation and Disputes section of the Corporate Counsel Center. It is the body of law surrounding procedural rules detailing how the court will handle a civil case. Civil procedure is a set of rules that help determine what pleas, orders and motions are allowed, as well as how to handle depositions and discovery. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the US federal court in 1938, has been used by most states. Law articles in this archive are predominantly written by lawyers for a professional audience seeking business solutions to legal issues. Start your free research with FindLaw.

Civil Litigation

Civil Procedure Articles

When to Raise the Roof

In 1972 Bernadine Suitum and her late husband purchased a lot in the Mill Creek Estates Subdivision of Incline Village to build their retirement home. Today, 25 years later, the lot still stands vacant. Even though it is the only privately owned ...
Read More »
When an Attorney’s Predictions Don’t Turn Out as Planned, Can a Disgruntled Client Sue for Fraud

A potential client walks into an attorney's office and says he was subject to discrimination and fired from his job on the account of his race. He then details his view of the facts leading up to his perceived wrongful termination. The attorney ...
Read More »
What to Do If a Relative or Friend Suffers a Closed Head Injury

Two Million Americans suffer closed head injuries annually with 100,000 requiring hospitalization. In automobile wrecks, the force of impact causes the victim's head to strike an object in the car, such as a window, the frame or the windshield. Even ...
Read More »
What Should You Expect From Your Attorney?

The purpose of this column is to improve the relationship between attorneys and clients. I hope that by providing insight into the legal mind, you can establish a more effective relationship with your legal counsel, and that in turn will improve ...
Read More »
Warning to Expert Witnesses!

In a surprising change of the common law tradition of witness immunity, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has recently held that the doctrine of witness immunity does not protect expert witnesses who are negligent in forming their opinions. LLMD of ...
Read More »
To Release or Not to Release: The Dilemma of the Health Care Professional Concerning the Release of Patient Records

Nearly all health care professionals find themselves in the precarious situation of being hounded by their patients' legal adversaries to release medical records, while worrying about violating physician patient confidentiality. What is one to do in ...
Read More »
Top Ten Things to do When Collecting Electronic Evidence

©1999 Computer Forensics Inc.Ã” Originally Published in Course MaterialsBy Glasser LegalWorksIt is now black letter law that information generated and stored on computers and in other electronic forms is discoverable. It is estimated that as much ...
Read More »
Tips On Preserving Arguments For Appeal

The federal and state reporters are filled with cases holding that what appears to be a meritorious argument was not adequately preserved in the trial court. Some cases even go so far as to reverse a judgment notwithstanding the verdict or a new ...
Read More »
The United States Supreme Court Extends the Holding of Daubert V. Merrell Pharmaceuticals to all Expert Testimony

On March 23, 1999, the United States Supreme Court, in Kumho Tire Company Ltd. v. Carmichael, No. 97-1709, held that a trial judge may subject expert testimony based on "technical" and "other specialized" knowledge to the same rigorous standards ...
Read More »
The Statute of Limitations for Childhood Sexual Abuse in Illinois

Article provided by Joseph G. Klest. Please visit our Web site. Sexual abuse is a devastating event. It can have lasting physical, mental, and emotional consequences. And when a child is abused, it often takes years and even decades to fully uncover ...
Read More »