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What They Are and How to Research Them

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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

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Supreme CourtU.S. Courts of Appeals U.S. District Courts (and Bankruptcy Courts)

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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

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