General Litigation
| Special Rules of Evidence |
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| The courts, federal and state, have rules of evidence, which determine what evidence will be admitted at civil and criminal trials. Generally, all evidence that is relevant, which means it tends to prove or disprove the factual matter being considered by the court, is admissible. The rules relating to privileges and hearsay, which are covered below, are special rules of evidence that control the admissibility of certain types of evidence. The rules relating to judicial notice and presumptions, which are also discussed below, are exceptions to the general rule that evidence must be introduced as formal proof of a factual matter. More... |
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| The Judicial Conference of the United States |
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| In 1922, the United States Congress created a body called the Conference of Senior Circuit Judges to administer the federal judiciary. In 1948, Congress passed additional legislation and changed the name of the governing body to the Judicial Conference of the United States. The Judicial Conference handles the administrative matters of the federal court system.
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| The Effect of a Judgment in a Civil Lawsuit |
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| When a court of competent jurisdiction renders a final judgment on the merits of a case, the judgment is conclusive between the parties as to the claims, facts, and issues litigated in the case. More... |
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| The Jury in a Civil Lawsuit |
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| There is a constitutional right to a jury trial in certain types of civil cases. The jury in a civil lawsuit usually contains 6 to 12 people. More... |
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| Alternative Dispute Resolution |
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| Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) refers to an informal process for deciding civil disputes outside of the courtroom. The two main forms of ADR are mediation and arbitration. Any type of civil dispute, including product liability actions, contract suits, and probate cases, can be mediated or arbitrated. More... |
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