CIVIL PROCEDURE BASIC CONCEPTS

Court System: Federal Courts (U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Circuit Courts, U.S. District Courts, Special Courts). State Courts (original and appellate jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction: different meanings. Venue. Diversity of Citizenship

Civil actions: Origin of the dispute, torts, breach of contract.

Remedies: Common Law Remedies, Equitable Remedies.

Commencement: Pleadings. Complaints, answers, motions, affirmative defenses, summonses, subpoenas, proof of service.

Pre-trial Conferences, presentation of evidence, witnesses, affidavits. Settlements. Stipulations.

Voire dire examination, challenges (peremptory, for cause).

Opening Statements, different stages during the trial in open court, different kinds of motions. Dismissal (with prejudice, without prejudice). Verdict. Judgment.

Appeals: procedure.

Each procedural step will be illustrated by a specimen document in order to entail a proper comparative analysis.