| The Jurisdiction of a Federal Court |
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| Jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court to hear and decide a case. A federal court's authority to hear a specific case comes from the United States Constitution and federal laws. It is necessary for a federal court to have both subject matter jurisdiction (power over the legal matter involved in the case) and personal jurisdiction (power over the parties to the lawsuit) for the court to make a legally valid decision in a case. More... |
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| Federal Rules of Evidence |
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| In a lawsuit, both the plaintiff (the party suing) and the defendant (the party being sued) introduce evidence during the trial. Evidence refers to something submitted to the court to prove or disprove the truth of a factual matter being weighed by the court. More... |
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| Problem-Solving Courts |
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| Problem-solving courts were developed to handle recurring cases, especially in the areas of domestic violence, drug-related offenses, and crimes involving mentally ill or mentally disabled individuals. Problem-solving courts use a therapeutic justice model, emphasizing treatment of the underlying problem. They seek tangible results for victims, for offenders and for the general public. They coordinate with public agencies and community organizations to offer treatment as an alternative to incarceration. 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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| Rules of Statutory Interpretation |
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| If the interpretation of a particular law becomes an issue in a case, the court must rely on rules of statutory interpretation or construction in deciding the law's meaning. This article discusses the main rules of statutory interpretation or construction. More... |
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