Civil Procedure & Litigation: A Practical Approach (Paralegal)

CONTENTS......Page 12
OBJECTIVES......Page 22
BACKGROUND......Page 23
The Importance of Procedure......Page 24
TERMINOLOGY......Page 25
Preparation Phase......Page 30
Post-Judgment Phase......Page 31
ETHICAL ETIQUETTE......Page 32
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 33
SUMMARY......Page 34
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 35
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 36
LITIGATION LINGO......Page 38
PROCEDURAL PONDERABLES......Page 39
OBJECTIVES......Page 40
WHAT ARE COURTS AND WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?......Page 41
Federal Courts......Page 43
Procedure in Appellate Courts......Page 44
ADMINISTRATION......Page 46
Special Courts......Page 49
WHICH COURT DO I SUE IN?......Page 50
General Questions of Federal Procedure......Page 51
Administrative Detail......Page 52
Specialty Cases......Page 54
ETHICAL ETIQUETTE......Page 55
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 56
SUMMARY......Page 57
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 58
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 59
LITIGATION LINGO......Page 61
PROCEDURAL PONDERABLES......Page 62
OBJECTIVES......Page 64
THE PHASES OF A LAWSUIT......Page 66
PREFILING PHASE......Page 67
Investigation and Fact Gathering......Page 68
Strategic Decision Making......Page 69
Prerequisites to Suit......Page 70
Other Considerations......Page 71
Role of the Paralegal......Page 72
Filing and Service of Process......Page 73
Answer......Page 77
Filing and Service of Answer......Page 78
Joinder of Issue......Page 80
ETHICAL ETIQUETTE......Page 81
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 82
SUMMARY......Page 83
WORKSHOP ALERT......Page 84
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 85
LITIGATION LINGO......Page 88
LITIGATION LOGISTICS......Page 89
PROCEDURAL PONDERABLES......Page 90
OBJECTIVES......Page 92
THE INVISIBLE MIDDLE......Page 93
DISCOVERY......Page 94
Depositions......Page 96
Request for Production of Documents and Things......Page 98
Requests for Admissions......Page 100
Independent Medical Examinations......Page 101
Mandatory Disclosure Statements and Limitations on Discovery......Page 102
Informal Gathering of Evidence......Page 103
ETHICAL ETIQUETTE......Page 104
TECHNO TIP......Page 105
SUMMARY......Page 106
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 107
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 108
LITIGATION LOGISTICS......Page 110
PROCEDURAL PONDERABLES......Page 111
OBJECTIVES......Page 112
How Motions Are Presented......Page 113
How Motions Are Decided......Page 115
Motions on the Merits......Page 117
Other Tactical Motions......Page 120
Discovery Motions......Page 121
SCHEDULING ORDERS AND DEADLINES......Page 124
ROLE OF THE PARALEGAL......Page 125
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 126
SUMMARY......Page 127
KEY TERMS......Page 128
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 129
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 130
LITIGATION LINGO......Page 133
PROCEDURAL PONDERABLES......Page 135
OBJECTIVES......Page 136
HISTORY OF ADR......Page 138
ARBITRATION......Page 139
Selection of Arbitrators......Page 140
Arbitration Process......Page 141
Role of the Paralegal......Page 142
Forms of Mediation......Page 143
Mediation Process......Page 144
Role of the Paralegal......Page 145
MED-ARB......Page 147
SUMMARY JURY TRIAL......Page 148
MINI-TRIAL......Page 149
OTHER OPTIONS......Page 150
BRIGHT AND DARK SIDE OF ADR......Page 151
LIMITATIONS OF ADR......Page 154
ETHICAL ETIQUETTE......Page 155
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 156
SUMMARY......Page 157
WORKSHOP ALERT......Page 159
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 160
LITIGATION LINGO......Page 165
LITIGATION LOGISTICS......Page 166
OBJECTIVES......Page 168
Obtaining a Trial Setting......Page 169
Pretrial Conferences, Statements, and Orders......Page 170
The Countdown to Trial......Page 171
Role of the Paralegal......Page 175
TRYING THE CASE......Page 176
Jury Selection......Page 177
Opening Statements......Page 179
Presentation of Evidence......Page 180
GETTING FROM VERDICT TO JUDGMENT......Page 196
ETHICAL ETIQUETTE......Page 199
SUMMARY......Page 201
KEY TERMS......Page 203
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 204
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 205
LITIGATION LINGO......Page 210
LITIGATION LOGISTICS......Page 211
PROCEDURAL PONDERABLES......Page 212
OBJECTIVES......Page 214
INTRODUCTION......Page 215
COLLECTING THE JUDGMENT......Page 217
The Collectibility Conundrum......Page 218
Finding Assets......Page 219
Execution......Page 220
The Judgment Debtor’s Options......Page 222
APPEAL......Page 224
Role of the Paralegal......Page 229
ETHICAL ETIQUETTE......Page 230
TECHNO TIP......Page 231
SUMMARY......Page 232
REVIEW QUESTIONS......Page 234
PRACTICE EXAM......Page 235
LITIGATION LINGO......Page 239
PROCEDURAL PONDERABLES......Page 240
INTRODUCTION: THE SUBSTANTIVE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A LAWSUIT......Page 242
THE ISSUES OUTLINE: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 243
THE ISSUES OUTLINE: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 249
EXERCISES......Page 252
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 253
KEY TERMS......Page 254
CHOOSING A COURT: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 256
CHOOSING A COURT: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 269
EXERCISES......Page 270
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 271
KEY TERMS......Page 272
INTRODUCTION: CASE WORKUP......Page 274
CASE WORKUP: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 275
CASE WORKUP: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 287
EXERCISES......Page 289
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 291
KEY TERMS......Page 292
CREATING A COURT PAPER: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 294
EXERCISES......Page 300
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 303
TECHNO TIP......Page 304
KEY TERMS......Page 305
COMPLAINT DRAFTING: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 306
COMPLAINT DRAFTING: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 319
EXERCISES......Page 323
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 324
KEY TERMS......Page 325
HOW TO SERVE A SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT......Page 326
SERVING THE COMPLAINT: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 328
SERVING THE COMPLAINT: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 337
EXERCISES......Page 340
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 341
KEY TERMS......Page 342
HOW TO SERVE COURT PAPERS AFTER THE COMPLAINT......Page 344
HOW TO COMPUTE DEADLINES......Page 347
SETTING DEADLINES: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 348
SETTING DEADLINES: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 353
EXERCISES......Page 355
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 356
KEY TERMS......Page 357
ALTERNATIVES TO FILING AN ANSWER......Page 358
ANSWER DRAFTING: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 360
ANSWER DRAFTING: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 370
ANSWER DRAFTING: LEARNING BY DOING......Page 372
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 373
KEY TERMS......Page 374
DISCOVERY REFORM AND MANDATORY DISCLOSURE......Page 376
LOCAL VARIATIONS......Page 377
DISCOVERY—SEEING THE BIG PICTURE......Page 378
ROLE OF THE PARALEGAL......Page 380
THE DOCUMENT DISCOVERY PROCESS IN A NUTSHELL......Page 382
THE TOOLS OF DOCUMENT DISCOVERY......Page 383
DOCUMENT REQUESTS: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 385
DOCUMENT REQUESTS: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 395
EXERCISES......Page 402
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 403
KEY TERMS......Page 404
PROCEDURE FOR INTERROGATORIES AND REQUESTS FOR ADMISSIONS......Page 406
DRAFTING INTERROGATORIES: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 409
DRAFTING INTERROGATORIES: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 421
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 428
FORMS FILE......Page 429
PROCEDURE FOR RESPONDING TO DISCOVERY REQUESTS......Page 430
ANSWERING INTERROGATORIES: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 431
ANSWERING INTERROGATORIES: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 445
EXERCISES......Page 451
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 453
FORMS FILE......Page 454
MANDATORY DISCLOSURE......Page 456
OTHER DISCOVERY REFORM......Page 458
DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 461
DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 470
EXERCISES......Page 471
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 477
KEY TERMS......Page 478
ADVANTAGES OF DEPOSITIONS OVER WRITTEN DISCOVERY......Page 480
DEPOSITIONS: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 481
DEPOSITIONS: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 498
DEPOSITIONS: LEARNING BY DOING......Page 502
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 503
KEY TERMS......Page 506
WHAT KINDS OF MOTIONS ARE THERE, ANYWAY?......Page 508
WHAT RULES GOVERN MOTION WRITING?......Page 512
THE DETAILS ARE IN THE LOCAL RULES......Page 513
WRITING A MOTION: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 514
WRITING A MOTION: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 524
EXERCISES......Page 529
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 530
KEY TERMS......Page 531
THE ADVERSARIAL SIDE OF DISCOVERY......Page 532
MOTIONS TO COMPEL: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 536
MOTIONS TO COMPEL: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 544
EXERCISES......Page 549
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 552
FORMS FILE......Page 554
CHECKLIST OF EARLY-STAGE TACTICAL MOTIONS......Page 556
MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT BY DEFENDANT: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 562
MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT BY DEFENDANT: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 564
MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT BY DEFENDANT: LEARNING BY DOING......Page 567
EXERCISES......Page 569
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 572
KEY TERMS......Page 574
HOW TO OBTAIN A TRIAL SETTING......Page 576
TRIAL PREPARATION: A TASK-ORIENTED CHECKLIST......Page 579
TRIAL PREPARATION: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 593
TRIAL PREPARATION: LEARNING BY DOING......Page 597
EXERCISES......Page 598
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 599
TECHNO TIP......Page 600
KEY TERMS......Page 601
PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A JUDGMENT......Page 602
JUDGMENT AFTER ADJUDICATION......Page 604
OBTAINING A DEFAULT JUDGMENT: STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS......Page 607
OBTAINING A DEFAULT JUDGMENT: LEARNING BY EXAMPLE......Page 615
OBTAINING A DEFAULT JUDGMENT: LEARNING BY DOING......Page 620
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 623
KEY TERMS......Page 624
CONSEQUENCES OF BREAKING THE RULES......Page 626
ETHICAL RULES FOR LITIGATORS AND LITIGATION PARALEGALS......Page 627
ETHICAL LIMITS ON LITIGATION TACTICS......Page 630
ETHICS IN LITIGATION: TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION......Page 634
PRACTICE POINTERS......Page 636
KEY TERMS......Page 638
APPENDIX A ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXAMS AND LITIGATION LINGO AND LITIGATION LOGISTICS FEATURES......Page 640
APPENDIX B FEDERAL RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTS......Page 654