General Litigation
| Interpreters in the Courtroom |
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| The judge has discretion in deciding whether to appoint a court interpreter. If appointed, the interpreter is considered an officer of the court, subject to certain ethical duties relating to the interpreter's conduct. A court interpreter's job is to translate accurately for a litigant (a party to a court proceeding) everything that occurs in the proceeding. Court interpreters also make it possible to take evidence from a non-English speaking witness.
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| Appeal of a State Court Judgment |
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| The losing party in a civil lawsuit can file an appeal after the state trial court enters a final judgment in the case. Generally, a notice of appeal has to be filed within 30 days after a judgment. The person who files the appeal is called the appellant, and the other party is called the appellee. More... |
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| Federal Appellate Procedure |
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| A litigant can file an appeal after a United States District Court, which is the federal trial court, enters a final judgment in the case. The person filing the appeal is called the appellant, and the other party is called the appellee. This article discusses the steps in the federal appellate procedural process when a case is appealed from the United States District Court to the United States Court of Appeals. More... |
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| Service of Process -- Notice of a Lawsuit |
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| A lawsuit begins when a plaintiff (the party suing) files a complaint with the clerk of courts. The defendant (the person or company being sued) is given notice that a lawsuit has been filed and is "summoned" to appear before the court. Service of process means that the defendant is given notice of the lawsuit and a copy of the complaint that was filed. More... |
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| Innovations in Jury Trials |
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| States have implemented various innovative procedures to assist jurors during trials. The changes are aimed at improving juror understanding of the evidence and the court proceedings. Jurors are permitted to take notes during the trial in some courts. Trial judges in some courts have discretion to give jurors copies of preliminary jury instructions when the trial starts. In some courts, jurors can submit questions for witnesses. They can even discuss the case among themselves before jury deliberations begin. More... |
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