Regulate business before court Control operation of court
Control conduct of litigants Span from font type to crucial
deadlines Theyre the lawkind of. Have force of law Lawyers HAVE to
know them Violations can lead to court sanctions Parties charged
with knowledge of rules Clients charged with omissions of attorneys
Potentially malpractice for failure to comply with rules
Slide 3
Slide 4
Supreme CourtU.S. Courts of Appeals U.S. District Courts (and
Bankruptcy Courts)
Slide 5
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rule making power in state
constitution Can delegate authority Lower courts Can make local
rules So long as those do not conflict with those of Pa. Supreme
Court
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Congress! Delegates power to judiciary Supreme Court empowered
to make rules of practice and procedure for it and lower courts
Lower courts Can make local rules So long as those do not conflict
with those of U.S. Supreme Court
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Rules of practice Rules of Civil Procedure Rules of Criminal
Procedure Rules of Evidence Rules of Appellate Procedure Special
court rules Supreme Court Orphans Court Rules Magisterial District
Court Rules of Conduct, Office Standards, and Civil Procedure for
Magisterial District Judges Local rules!
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Attorney Bar Admission Rules Rules of Professional Conduct
Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement Rules and Regulations of
Continuing Legal Education Interest on Lawyers Trust Account Board
Regulations Judicial Rules of Judicial Administration Code of
Judicial Conduct
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Rules of practice Rules of Civil Procedure Rules of Criminal
Procedure Rules of Evidence Rules of Appellate Procedure Special
court rules Rules of Supreme Court Rules of Bankruptcy Rules of
Court of Claims Rules of Court of International Trade Local
rules!
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Attorney Varies District courts usually adopt professional
rules of jurisdiction Judicial Code of Conduct for United States
Judges Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability
Proceedings
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Court websites Government codes, print and online Federal: Some
included as appendix to title 28 of U.S.C. State: Titles 201-246 of
Pennsylvania [Administrative] Code Commercial print publications
Wests Pennsylvania Rules of Court (federal & local)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Court Rules Lexis federal rule
pamphlets (Free! Ask Steve!)
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Online Databases Commercial: Citations to primary and secondary
resources Sometimes too many! Taken the place of reporters and
digests If you find a weird cite, e.g. F.R.D. see a librarian Free:
Cornell LII, Justia, etc.
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Treatises, like the ones Peter talked about Types Overall Can
be multimulti volume works Subject Court Mostly Online Pa. books
may not be online Other secondary sources, e.g. law reviews Form
books Dockets, like the ones Lindsey talked about Pleadings