Civil Procedure

Study of the underlying policies and principal elements in the civil litigation process. The subjects studied include constitutional elements of a fair procedural system; powers of courts and administrative tribunals to grant different forms of relief; phases of a civil lawsuit in federal court, with an emphasis on: pleadings, joinder of parties and claims, the selection and role of the jury, and motions that may take the case away from the jury; jurisdiction over parties and claims; 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. Interested students may participate in an optional bi-weekly session called Civil Procedure through a Justice Lens.