Learning Civil Procedure

A civil case goes to trial only if a judge decides that a legitimate claim has been properly presented. A jury then decides the factual questions on which that claim is based. Mastery of civil procedure hinges upon an understanding of both how a court comes to have the power — jurisdiction — to adjudicate a particular controversy and to enforce its orders against involuntary participants, and the rules under which civil litigation is conducted. A reading of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure is not by itself sufficient — an understanding of the specialized terminology of the field is also required. To help the student gain this understanding, each chapter of Learning Civil Procedure begins with a clear explanation of the terms that will be encounter. The discussions of particular processes are illustrated by examples, and most chapters end with hypothetical problems that are explained in the context of the applicable general rules. Learning Civil Procedure is designed to untangle the confusion that can hide the workings of courts. The goal of the book is to make the civil procedure course easier for beginning law students, or for anyone who wants to gain competence in that field.