Portal to Law School
Admissions
Civil Procedure Preview Course
- To introduce you to Federal Civil Procedure - one of the most challenging first year courses
- To introduce you to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure as well as some cutting edge case law
- To help you to begin to understand the many ways in which disputes are resolved in the American Legal System
- To help you develop your analytical skills and to learn to “think and write like a lawyer”
Week |
Topics |
Class Preparation |
Week 1 |
Overview of Procedure & Federal Courts · How does a lawsuit begin? · How is drafting a complaint like telling a compelling story? o Notice Pleading & Rule 8(a) o Iqbal & the future of pleadings · What ethical rules affect the pleading process? (Rule 11) |
Readings, videos, and basic exercises to be distributed at the beginning of the week and completed in advance of the online course meeting for that week |
Week 2 |
· What limitations exist on the power of federal courts? o What is subject matter jurisdiction? o How do these principles limit the authority of federal courts? |
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Week 3 |
· How does civil procedure protect your due process rights? o What is personal jurisdiction? o What protects you from being sued far from home? · Does civil procedure advance interests of fairness & justice? |
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Week 4 |
· How are lawsuits resolved? o Negotiation o Arbitration o Mediation o Trials · What processes are most fair and promote justice? |