| Courthouse Security |
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| Courthouse security has been increased since events such as the Oklahoma City bombing of a federal court building and the tragedy of September 11, 2001, which destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The goal of enhanced security is twofold: to assure the safety of people and property in the courthouse and to preserve the integrity of the judicial process. Reasonably safe courthouses must be provided, measures have to be taken to safeguard court records, and a plan must be adopted that would permit the court system to function after an emergency. More... |
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| Dismissals and Reinstatements of Civil Lawsuits |
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| The law allows the plaintiff (the person suing) to dismiss his/her lawsuit after it has been filed. In addition, the court has authority to order dismissal of a lawsuit under certain circumstances. This article discusses voluntary dismissals by the plaintiff, involuntary dismissals by the court, and the circumstances under which a lawsuit can be reinstated. More... |
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| Mandatory Arbitration Clauses |
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| Contracts often include arbitration clauses. Arbitration is a method of alternative dispute resolution. The arbitration process is less formal than a trial, and the dispute is resolved much more quickly than traditional litigation. Arbitration clauses require a dispute to be submitted to arbitration instead of filing a lawsuit. The arbitrator's decision is final and binding on the parties. Some legal commentators claim that mandatory arbitration clauses undermine consumer rights. This article discusses the impact of mandatory arbitration clauses on consumers. More... |
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| Service of Process in Foreign Countries |
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| The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are court rules that govern the procedure to be followed in civil lawsuits that are filed in federal court. The Federal Rules specify how service of process (notice that a lawsuit has been filed) is to be made on the defendant (the person being sued). A court must have personal jurisdiction over a defendant before it can enter a valid judgment against the defendant. There are special rules for service of process on individuals in a foreign country. This article discusses the procedure to be followed in serving an individual in a foreign country. More... |
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| The Discovery Process in Civil Lawsuits |
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| After a lawsuit is filed, both the plaintiff (the person suing) and the defendant (the person or company being sued) can engage in a process called discovery. Discovery is conducted before trial. The purpose of discovery is to allow a party to learn more about the pertinent facts of the case and the other party's evidence. The main tools used in the discovery process are depositions, interrogatories, and requests for documents. More... |
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