Civil Procedure

Study of the underlying policies and principal elements in the civil litigation process. The subjects studied include jurisdiction over parties and claims; the phases of a civil lawsuit in federal court, with an emphasis on: pleadings, joinder of parties and claims, the role of the jury, motions that may take the case away from the jury, and appeals; the powers of courts to grant different forms of relief; the preclusive effect of judgments; and an introduction to the relationships among state and federal courts and claims. We will combine theoretical principles with practical applications of the concepts studied, as well as policy discussions.