Legal Secretary Federal Litigation

Abbreviated Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Overview of the Federal Court System

Chapter 2: Federal Litigation Procedure

Chapter 3: District Court Directory and Filing Requirements

Chapter 4: Appellate Court Procedures

Chapter 5: Appellate Court Directory and Filing Instructions

Chapter 6: Supreme Court Directory and Procedures

Chapter 7: Special Courts Directory and Procedures

Chapter 8: Directory of Federal Agencies

 

Expanded Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Overview of the Federal Court System

§100    Summary of the Federal Court System

§101    United States District Courts

§102    United States Courts of Appeals

§103    United States Supreme Court

§104    Federal Judges

§110    Electronic Access to Court Records

§111    PACER — Public Access to Court Electronic Records

§112    Case Management/Electronic Case Filing

§113    Electronic Access to Transcripts of Federal Court Proceedings

§114    Video and Telephonic Conferencing

§120    Schedule of Fees

 

Chapter 2: Federal Litigation Procedure

§200    Introduction

§201   Computing Time and Court Holidays

§202   Understanding Case Numbers

§210    Summons, Complaint, Civil Cover Sheet, and Disclosure Statement

§211   Summons (Rule 4)

§211.1 Sample Summons

§212   Complaint

§212.1 Caption

§212.2 Statement of Jurisdiction

§212.3 Statement of Facts

§212.4 Prayer for Relief

§212.5 Signatures and Verification

§212.6 Sample Complaint

§212.7 Verification

§213   Amendment of Complaint

§214   Civil Cover Sheet

§215   Disclosure Statement (Fed. R. Civ. P. 7.1)

§216   Notice of Constitutional Challenge to a Statute (Rule 5.1)

§220    Service of Summons and Complaint

§221   Waiver of Service of Summons (Rule 4(d))

§221.1 Sample: Notice of Lawsuit and Request to Waive Service of a Summons

§221.2 Sample: Waiver of the Service of Summons

§222   Service by Mail

§223   Service by U.S. Marshal (Rule 4(c))

§224   Service by Private Person

§225   Service on U.S. Government or State Government

§226   Service Outside State

§227   Service on Military Personnel

§228   Service Outside United States

§228.1 Letter of Request

§228.2 Sample: Letter of Request

§230 Answer to Complaint

§231   Caption

§232   Denials

§233   Admissions

§234   Affirmative Defenses

§235   Prayer for Relief

§236   Signatures and Verification

§237   Sample: Answer

§238   Certificate of Service

§238.1 Sample: Certificate of Service

§240    Cross-Claims, Counterclaims, Third-Party Complaints and Responses Thereto

§241   Cross-Claims and Counterclaims

§241.1 Sample: Counterclaim

§242   Third-Party Complaints

§242.1 Sample: Summons on Third-Party Complaint

§242.2 Sample: Third-Party Complaint

§243   Response to Cross-Claims, Counterclaims and Third-Party Complaints

§250    Motions

§251   Service of Motions

§252   Affidavits in Opposition

§253   Court Orders

§254   Sample: Notice of Motion

§255   Sample: Motion to Bring in Third-Party Defendant

§256   Sample: Order

§257   Motion Timetable

§260    Discovery

§261   Initial Disclosure

§261.1 Sample: Report of Parties’ Planning Meeting

§262   Interrogatories

§262.1 Who May Be Served

§262.2 Answering Interrogatories

§262.3 Objecting to Interrogatories

§263   Request for Production of Documents or Things

§263.1 Filing and Service Requirements

§263.2 Responding to a Request for Production of Documents

§263.3 Objecting to a Request for Production

§263.4 Sample: Request for Production of Documents

§264   Depositions

§264.1 Notice Requirements

§264.2 Deposition Subpoenas

§264.3 Depositions Upon Written Questions

§264.4 Sample: Notice of Deposition

§265   Requests for Admissions

§265.1 Responding to Requests for Admissions

§265.2 Objecting to Requests for Admissions

§266   Physical and Mental Examinations

§267   Subpoenas

§267.1 Nonparty Production of Documents or Things

§267.2 Service of Subpoenas

§267.3 Responding and Objecting to a Subpoena

§267.4 Sample: Response and Objections to Subpoena

§270    Removals

§271    Filing the Notice of Removal

§272    Procedures After Removal

§273    Remand

§274    Sample: Notice of Removal

§280    Checklists

§281   Summons and Complaint

§282   Answer

§283   Cross-Claims, Counterclaims, Third-Party Complaints

§284   Motions

§285   Discovery

§285.1 Interrogatories

§285.2 Depositions

§290    Federal Litigation Timetable

 

Chapter 3: District Court Directory and Filing Requirements

§300 Introduction

§301 Alabama

§301.1     Alabama, Northern

§301.2     Alabama, Middle

§301.3     Alabama, Southern

§302 Alaska

§303 Arizona

§304 Arkansas

§304.1     Arkansas, Eastern

§304.2     Arkansas, Western

§305 California

§305.1     California, Northern

§305.2     California, Eastern

§305.3     California, Central

§305.4     California, Southern

§306 Colorado

§307 Connecticut

§308 Delaware

§309 District of Columbia

§310 Florida

§310.1     Florida, Northern

§310.2     Florida, Middle

§310.3     Florida, Southern

§311 Georgia

§311.1     Georgia, Northern

§311.2     Georgia, Middle

§311.3     Georgia, Southern

§312 Guam

§313 Hawaii

§314 Idaho

§315 Illinois

§315.1     Illinois, Northern

§315.2     Illinois, Central

§315.3     Illinois, Southern

§316 Indiana

§316.1     Indiana, Northern

§316.2     Indiana, Southern

§317 Iowa

§317.1     Iowa, Northern

§317.2     Iowa, Southern

§318 Kansas

§319 Kentucky

§319.1     Kentucky, Eastern

§319.2     Kentucky, Western

§320 Louisiana

§320.1     Louisiana, Eastern

§320.2     Louisiana, Middle

§320.3     Louisiana, Western

§321 Maine

§322 Maryland

§323 Massachusetts

§324 Michigan

§324.1     Michigan, Eastern

§324.2     Michigan, Western

§325 Minnesota

§326 Mississippi

§326.1     Mississippi, Northern

§326.2     Mississippi, Southern

§327 Missouri

§327.1     Missouri, Eastern

§327.2     Missouri, Western

§328 Montana

§329 Nebraska

§330 Nevada

§331 New Hampshire

§332 New Jersey

§333 New Mexico

§334 New York

§334.1     New York, Northern

§334.2     New York, Southern

§334.3     New York, Eastern

§334.4     New York, Western

§335 North Carolina

§335.1     North Carolina, Eastern

§335.2     North Carolina, Middle

§335.3     North Carolina, Western

§336 North Dakota

§337 Ohio

§337.1     Ohio, Northern

§337.2     Ohio, Southern

§338 Oklahoma

§338.1     Oklahoma, Northern

§338.2     Oklahoma, Eastern

§338.3     Oklahoma, Western

§339 Oregon

§340 Pennsylvania

§340.1     Pennsylvania, Eastern

§340.2     Pennsylvania, Middle

§340.3     Pennsylvania, Western

§341 Puerto Rico

§342 Rhode Island

§343 South Carolina

§344 South Dakota

§345 Tennessee

§345.1     Tennessee, Eastern

§345.2     Tennessee, Middle

§345.3     Tennessee, Western

§346 Texas

§346.1     Texas, Northern

§346.2     Texas, Southern

§346.3     Texas, Eastern

§346.4     Texas, Western

§347 Utah

§348 Vermont

§349 Virgin Islands

§350 Virginia

§350.1     Virginia, Eastern

§350.2     Virginia, Western

§351 Washington

§351.1     Washington, Eastern

§351.2     Washington, Western

§352 West Virginia

§352.1     West Virginia, Northern

§352.2     West Virginia, Southern

§353 Wisconsin

§353.1     Wisconsin, Eastern

§353.2     Wisconsin, Western

§354 Wyoming

 

Chapter 4: Appellate Court Procedures

§400 Commencing an Appeal

§401   Appellate Schedule

§402   Sample Notice of Appeal

§403   Serving the Notice of Appeal

§404   Appeals From an Interlocutory Order

§405   Representation Statement

§410 Record on Appeal

§411   Transcript of Proceedings

§412   Electronic Transcripts

§420 Appellate Briefs

§421   Appellant’s Briefs

§421.1  Appellant's Brief—When to File

§421.2  Appellant's Brief—Number of Copies

§422   Appellee’s Brief

§422.1  Appellee's Brief—When to File

§422.2  Appellee's Brief—Number of Copies

§423   Amicus Curiae Brief

§423.1  Amicus Curiae—Content and Form

§423.2  Amicus Curiae—Length of Brief

§423.3  Amicus Curiae—When to File

§424   Preparation of Briefs

§424.1  Length of Briefs

§424.2  Certificate of Compliance

§424.3  Corporate Disclosure Statement

§424.4  Preparation of Brief Cover

§424.5  Sample Brief Cover

§424.6  Preparation of Table of Contents

§424.7  Sample: Table of Contents

§424.8  Table of Citations and Authorities

§424.9  Sample: Table of Citations and Authorities

§424.10 Jurisdictional Statement

§425   Tips and Suggestions

§430 Appendix

§431 Deferred Appendix

§432 Appendix Organization

§433 Preparation of Appendix

§434 When to File the Appendix

§435 Number of Copies Filed

§436 Exhibits

 

Chapter 5: Appellate Court Directory and Filing Instructions

§500 First Circuit

§501 Second Circuit

§502 Third Circuit

§503 Fourth Circuit

§504 Fifth Circuit

§505 Sixth Circuit

§506 Seventh Circuit

§507 Eighth Circuit

§508 Ninth Circuit

§509 Tenth Circuit

§510 Eleventh Circuit

§511 Federal Circuit

§512 District of Columbia

 

Chapter 6: Supreme Court Directory and Procedures

§600 U.S. Supreme Court Directory

§601   Electronic Access to Court Records

§610 Request for Review by Petition for Writ of Certiorari

§611   Filing a Petition for Writ of Certiorari (SCR 12, 14.1)

§611.1  Appendix (Rule 14.1(i))

§611.2  Certificate of Service (Rule 29.5)

§611.3  Number of Copies to be Filed (Rules 12.1 and 12.2)

§611.4  When to File Petition (Rules 13.1, 13.3, 13.5)

§612   Proceedings In Forma Pauperis (Rule 39)

§613   Notification of Docketing (Rule 12.3)

§614   Conditional Cross-Petitions (Rule 12.5)

§615   Transmittal of the Record (Rule 12.7)

§616   Respondents’ Opposition Briefs (Rules 12.6 and 15)

§617   Reply and Supplemental Briefs (Rules 15.6 and 15.8)

§618   Ruling on the Petition (Rules 15.7 and 16)

§620 Procedures in Original Actions (Rule 17)

§621   Commencing an Action (Rule 17)

§622   Opposing a Motion to File Original Action (Rule 17)

§623   Disposition of the Case

§630 Review by Direct Appeal (Rule 18)

§631   Dismissal of Appeal (Rule 18.5)

§632   Jurisdictional Statement and Appendix (Rule 18.3)

§633   Conditional Cross-Appeal (Rule 18.4)

§634   Responding to the Appellant’s Jurisdictional Statement (Rule 18.6)

§635   Appellant’s Reply to Appellee’s Motion to Dismiss or Affirm (Rule 18.8)

§636   Supplemental Briefs (Rule 18.10)

§637   Disposition (Rules 18.7, 18.9, 18.11, 18.12)

§640 Review of Certified Question

§641   Commencing the Case (Rules 19.1 and 19.3)

§642   Petitioner’s Brief on the Merits (Rules 19.4, 19.5, 24.1, 29.6, 33.1)

§643   Respondent’s Brief on the Merits (Rule 24.2)

§644   Petitioner’s Reply Brief on the Merits (Rule 24.4)

§645   Supplemental Brief on the Merits

§646   Joint Appendix (Rule 26)

§646.1  Preparing the Joint Appendix (Rule 26)

§646.2  Exhibits (Rule 26)

§646.3  Filing the Joint Appendix (Rule 26)

§646.4  Statement of Costs (Rule 26)

§650 Petition for Extraordinary Writ

§651   Preparing and Filing Petition (Rule 20)

§652   Opposing the Petition (Rule 20)

§653   Disposition (Rule 20)

§660 Motions (Rule 21)

§661   Motion for Oral Argument (Rule 28)

§662   Motion to Extend Time (Rule 30)

§670 Preparation of Supreme Court Documents (Rules 29.4 and 34)

§671   Preparing Documents Pursuant to Rule 33.1

§672   Preparing Documents Pursuant to Rule 33.2

§673   Amicus Curiae Briefs (Rule 37)

§674   Brief Cover (Rule 34)

§674.1  Sample Supreme Court Brief Cover

§675   Table of Document Requirements

§676   Electronic Submission of Briefs

§680 Supreme Court Fees (Rules 5.5 and 38)

§690 Supreme Court Timetable

 

Chapter 7: Special Courts Directory and Procedures

§700    U.S. Court of Federal Claims

§701   Court Directory

§702   Jurisdiction

§703   Filing Requirements

§704   Timetable

§705   Fees

§710    U.S. Court of International Trade

§711   Court Directory

§712   Jurisdiction (28 U.S.C. §1581, et. seq.)

§713   Filing Requirements

§714   Fees

§720    United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation

§721   Court Directory

§722   Jurisdiction

§723   Filing Requirements (L. Civ. R. 3-12)

§724   Timetable

§725   Fees

§730    U.S. Tax Court

§731   Court Directory

§732   Jurisdiction

§733   Filing Requirements  (L. Tax. R. 20-25; 30-34; 50-54; 71-74; 90; 170-17)

§734   Fees

§740    Regional Rail Reorganization Court

§750    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

§751   Court Directory

§752   Jurisdiction

§753   Procedures

§753.1  Petition for Grant of Review

§753.2  Certificate for Review

§753.3  Certificate for Review in Extraordinary Relief Cases

§753.4  Mandatory Review Cases

§753.5  Petition for Extraordinary Relief

§753.6  Appeal Petition

§753.7  Petition for New Trial

§754   Sample Forms

§754.1  Sample: Petition for Grant of Review

§754.2  Sample: Certificate for Review

§754.3  Sample: Mandatory Review Case Form

§755   Filing Requirements (Rule 24, 25, 26)

§756   Fees

§760    U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

§761   Court Directory

§762   Jurisdiction

§763   Procedures

§764   Filing Requirements

§765   Sample Notice of Appeal

§766   Timetable

§767   Fees

§770 Alien Terrorist Removal Court

§771   Court Directory

§772   Jurisdiction

§773   Procedures

 

Chapter 8: Directory of Federal Agencies