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Civil Procedure Resource Guide

This selective guide highlights major print and electronic resources available to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law students researching issues in Civil Procedure.  Please contact the research services staff during research service hours, or via email to research.services@law.csuohio.edu, for help in locating these or other resources to meet your needs.


Some of the links below lead to CALI, LexisNexis, and Westlaw files, which require a student password for access.  [If you connect to any of these files, be sure to log out of the system at the end of your research.]  Other links lead to records in SCHOLAR, the Cleveland State University electronic catalog.  Use your browser's "Back" button to return to this Civil Procedure Resource Guide.

Introduction

Cases

Statutes and Codes

Regulations and Rules

Treatises and Practice Guides

Study Aids

Searching SCHOLAR and OhioLINK

Journal Articles and Current Awareness Services

Aggregate Databases and Other Web Resources

 

Introduction

Civil Procedure concerns the resolution of civil disputes in civil courts.  Rather than substantive law, civil procedure deals with how a case is brought to civil court and how it proceeds until judgment, as well as the scope of judgment and available appeals.  Civil procedure specifically addresses subject matter and personal jurisdiction, venue, pleadings, joinder of claims and parties, discovery, pretrial, resolution without trial (including summary judgment, default judgment, and dismissal), trial, trial and post-trial motions, securing and enforcing judgment, binding effect of judgment (including res judicata and collateral estoppel), relief from judgment, appeal, as well as the Erie Doctrine and governance of federal or state law.

If you are a student who's trying to pick a topic in civil procedure for a note or article, check out Lawtopic.com and review its Civil Procedure section.  Also, consider reviewing current issues and hot topics on news Web sites such as American Lawyer Media's   American LawyerLaw.Com, National Law Journal, and New York Law Journal, as well as Lawyers Weekly.

 

Cases

Federal Rules Decisions.   West Pub. Co., c1941-.   KF8830 .W47

US District Court opinions, decisions and rulings concerning the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure not published in the "Federal Supplement."  Monthly with bound cumulations.  Includes cumulative indexes.

LexisNexis Source Files:

Area of Law - By Topic:  Litigation:  Cases:  Federal Civil Procedure Cases

States Legal - U.S.:  Combined States:  Cases:  By Area of Law:  State Civil Procedure Cases

States Legal - U.S.:  Ohio:  Cases:  By Area of Law:  Ohio Civil Procedure Cases

See also individual source files in this LexisNexis Library section:  Area of Law - By Topic:  Litigation:  Cases

Westlaw Databases:

See individual source files in this Westlaw Directory section:  Litigation:  Cases

See also Civil Procedure section of KeySearch.

 

Statutes and Codes

Rules of Decisions Act

28 USC 1652 (62 Stat 944, ch. 646, 6/25/48) [originally based on 28 USC 725 (R.S. §721)] reads:  "State laws as rules of decision:  The laws of the several states, except where the Constitution or treaties of the United Sates or Acts of Congress otherwise require or provide, shall be regarded as rules of decision in civil actions in the courts of the United States, in cases where they apply." 

Rules Enabling Acts 28 USC 2071 (62 Stat 961, ch. 646, 6/25/48); 28 USC 2071-2074, 2077 (Pub L 100-702, Title IV, §401, 403(a)(1), 102 Stat 4648-4650, 11/19/88)

These acts enable courts established by act of Congress to prescribe rules for the conduct of their business, as long as these rules are consistent with US Supreme Court rules of practice and procedure and acts of Congress, as well as outline the procedure for rule prescribtion, scope of the rules, and publication of the rules.

US Code:  Judiciary and Judicial Procedure:  Part I:  Organizations of Courts 28 USC 1-482; Part IV:  Jurisdiction and Venue 28 USC 1251-1631; Part V:  Procedure 28 USC 1651-2113; Part VI:  Particular Proceedings 28 USC 2201-4001; Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 28 USC Appendix

[Links via Cornell University Law School's  Legal Information Institute "generated from the most recent version made available by the US House of Representatives."]

 

Ohio Code:  Courts - Municipal - Mayor's - County 19 ORC; Courts - Probate - Juvenile 21 ORC; Courts - Common Pleas 23 ORC; Courts - Appellate 25 ORC; Courts - General Provisions - Special Remedies 27 ORC; Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure

[Links via Anderson's and State of Ohio.]

 

Regulations and Rules

Code of Federal Regulations   Title 28 of the CFR concerns "Judicial Administration."  Chapter 1, Parts 0-42 and Parts 43-199 concern the Department of Justice. [Links via GPO Access .]

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure  Divided into the following 13 sections:  Scope of Rules - One Form of Action; Commencement of Action, Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions, and Orders; Pleadings and Motions; Parties; Depositions and Discovery; Trials; Judgment; Provisional and Final Remedies; Special Proceedings; District Courts and Clerks; General Provisions; Appendix of Forms; and Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims.   See also Federal Rules of Evidence.

[Links via Cornell University Law School's  Legal Information Institute]

Federal Local Court Rules.   West Group, c2001-.   KF8816 .A2 2001

Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure.   Anderson Publishing Co., c2003/04.   KF8816 .A1979

Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure / Thomas A. Coyne, ed.   Clark Boardman Callaghan, c1994-.   KF8820 .A2 1994

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, With Forms.   U.S. Government Printing Office, 1990-.   KF8820 .A314 A2

Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure With Selected Statutes And Cases.   Aspen Law & Business, c2001-.   KF8816 .A3

 

Ohio Administrative Code   The 109 Agency/Division Level of the OAC concerns the Office of the Attorney General.  [OAC 109 link via Anderson's and State of Ohio.]

Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure   See also Ohio Rules of Evidence.  [Links via Supreme Court of Ohio.]

Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure / Howard P. Fink, Arthur F. Greenbaum, and Charles E. Wilson.  Lexis Publishing, c1992-.   KFO529 .F5

 

Treatises and Practice Guides


Selected significant treatises and practice guides in the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library collection which provide a foundation in issues of civil procedure include the following:

American Jurisprudence Pleading And Practice Forms Annotated.   Thomson/West, c1967-.   KF8836 .A45

Contains over 43,000 draft federal and state forms, checklists, and timetables, including complaints, cross-complaints, counterclaims, notices, petitions, declarations, summonses, demurrers, interrogatories, affidavits, answers, replies, motions, stipulations, bills of particulars, subpoenas, orders, writs, jury instructions, findings of fact, judgments, bonds, and decrees.   Includes commentary, statutory and procedural rules references, and General Index.  Kept up to date with pocket parts.

Bender's Federal Practice Forms, Annotations And Cross-References To Moore's Federal Practice / Louis R. Frumer and Irwin Hall.   Matthew Bender, c1978-.   KF8836 .F78

"A complete range of litigation forms needed for practice in any federal court from federal district courts through and including the Supreme Court of the United States."  Chapters organized by rules.  Civil Procedure chapters include complaints, pleadings, motions, disclosures, discovery, pretrial conferences, trials, and post-trial motions.  Includes General Index.

Civil Procedure / Fleming James, Jr., Geoffrey C. Hazard, Jr., and John Leubsdorf.   Foundation Press, c2001.   KF8840 .J3 2001

Civil Procedure For Federal And State Courts / Jeffrey A. Parness.   Anderson Publishing, c2001.   KF8841 .P377 2001

Federal And State Civil Procedure Handbook / Jeffrey A. Parness.   Anderson Publishing Co., c2001.   KF8841 .P376 2001

Federal Civil Judicial Procedure And Rules.   West, c1985-.   KF8816 .A21

Federal Court Practice And Procedure:  A Third Branch Bibliography / Thomas E. Baker.   F.B. Rothman, c2001.   KF8810 .B35 2001

Federal Practice And Procedure / Charles Alan Wright.   West Group, c1969-.   KF8840 .W68

Comprehensively covers federal civil, criminal, and appellate procedure including all civil, criminal, appellate, and evidence rules, as well as the federal judicial system, federal court jurisdiction, venue, relation of federal and state courts, and multidistrict litigation.  Extensively analyzes each rule according to its interpretation and application by federal courts and how it is affected by relevant statutes.  Kept up to date with pocket parts and monthly supplemental service.  Includes official forms adopted with rules, General Index, and several finding aides.

Federal Pretrial Practice:  Basic Procedure And Strategy.   Practicing Law Institute, c1999-.   KF8900 .Z9 F43

Manual Of Federal Practice / Richard A. Givens.   LEXIS Law Pub., c1998-.   KF8840 .G56 1998

Moore's Federal Practice / James Wm. Moore; board of editors, Daniel R. Coquillette ... [et al.].   LexisNexis, c1997-.   KF8840 .M64 1997

Originally written by the late Professor James William Moore, one of the drafters of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, this publication is a comprehensive reference work on federal civil, criminal, appellate, and admiralty court procedure.  Contains extensive commentary and analysis of federal rules - including legislative history and advisory committee notes - as well as cases interpreting the rules.  Includes Civil Index and several finding aides.

O'Connor's Federal Rules, Civil Trials:  Practice Guide And Annotated Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure / Michol O'Connor.   Jones McClure Publishing, c1996-.   KF8816 .A2 O21

The Right Against Self-Incrimination In Civil Litigation.   ABA Section of Antitrust Law, c2001.   KF8935 .R54 2001

Sinclair On Federal Civil Practice / Kent Sinclair.   Practicing Law Institute, c2004-.   KF8840 .S5522

Successful Techniques For Civil Trials / Ronald L. Carlson.   Lawyers Co-Operative Pub. Co., c1992-.   KF8915 .C3 1992

West's Federal Forms.   West Group, c1952-.   KF8836 .W4

 

Anderson's Ohio Civil Laws and Rules Handbook.  LexisNexis, c2005-.   KFO530 .A85

Anderson's Ohio Civil Practice With Forms:  Pleading, Procedure, Forms.  W.H. Anderson Co., c1971-.   KFO530 .A8

Provides step-by-step guidance from the beginning of an action through appellate procedures.  Contains comprehensive collection of forms, including those covering specific actions, as well as explanations of substantive law, special proceedings, and other areas not covered by the Civil Rules.  Includes Index and appendix of Civil Rules with Staff Notes.  Kept up to date with pocket parts.

Damages In Ohio Civil Trial Practice / Jack F. Fuchs ... [et al.].  NBI, Inc., c2002.   KFO530 .Z9 F9 2002

Baldwin's Civil Practice / James M. Klein, Stanton G. Darling II, and Dennis G. Terez.   Thomson/West, c2004-.   KFO529 .A2 2004

Rule-by-rule discussion with practical guidance and extensive case citations.  Includes over 450 forms covering all facets of civil litigation, Index, Table of Cases, and Table of Statutes and Rules.   Kept up to date with pocket parts.

Ohio Civil Rules Practice, With Forms / John W. McCormac and Michael E. Solimine.   Anderson Publishing Co., c2003.   KFO530 .M3 2003

Ohio Forms of Pleading and Practice / William W. Milligan; Contributor, Robert M. Hammond; Supervising Editor, Max Harley.   Matthew Bender, Lexis-Nexis, c1970-.   KFO535 .M5

Comprehensive collection of forms concerning all aspects of pleading and practice, completely covering Civil Rules, Criminal Rules, Juvenile Rules, Evidence Rules, Appellate Procedure, Probate Practice, and selected Special Proceedings.  Each form follows governing rules or statutes and includes annotations to statutes, cases, and other related rules and forms.  Includes full text of each rule with comparison to its federal counterpart and several Indexes.

Powerful Evidence In Ohio Civil Litigation / Lawrence A. Sutter ... [et al.].   NBI, Inc., c2002.   KFO540 .Z9 S87 2002

Rules Of Practice Of The Supreme Court Of Ohio.  [Ohio] Supreme Court.   KFO558 .A4

Weissenberger's Ohio Civil Procedure ... Litigation Manual.   Anderson Pub. Co., 1998-.  KFO540 .W4

 

Study Aids


CALI (Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction) Tutorials

Connect to the CALI Library of Lessons for a list of Civil Procedure Lessons available to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Students. You must register a personal password with CALI to use these CALI tutorials. [If you are a Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Student, and have not yet accessed CALI via our Law School subscription, Students click here.] The 18 CALI Civil Procedure Lessons include Analysis of a Diversity Case, Buffalo Creek:  A Game of Discovery (Initial Disclosure Version), Demurrers and Judgments, Drafting a Complaint, Equitable Remedies - An Overview, Evidence for Procedure Students, An Exercise in Civil Procedure, An Interpleader Primer, Joinder of Claims and Parties, Judgments as a Matter of Law, Jurisdiction and Venue, Jurisdiction Over the Person, Preclusion, Randolph County:  A Game of Discovery, A Review of Joinder Concepts, Summary Judgment, Waiver Under Rule 12, Woburn:   A Game of Discovery.

The CALI Civil Procedure Lessons are also highlighted on the Tutorials and Instructional Research Guides page of the Law Library Web site.

Civil Procedure / Jack H. Friedenthal, Mary Kay Kane, and Arthur R. Miller.   Thomson/West, c2005.   KF8840 .F72 2005

Civil Procedure / Douglas Blaze.   Thomson West, c2003.   KF8841 .B53 2003

Civil Procedure / Kevin M. Clermont.   Thomson/West, c2004.   KF8840 .C56 2004

Civil Procedure:  Cases, Materials, And Questions / Richard D. Freer and Wendy Collins Perdue.   Anderson, c2001.   KF8839 .F74 2001

Civil Procedure:  The Economics Of Civil Procedure / Robert G. Bone.   Foundation Press, c2003.   KF8840 .B66 2003

Civil Procedure:  Examples And Explanations / Joseph W. Glannon.   Aspen Publishers, c2006.   KF8839 .G58 2006

Civil Procedure:  Preclusion In Civil Actions / David L. Shapiro.   Foundation Press, c2001.   KF8990 .S48 2001

Civil Procedure:  Theory And Practice / Linda J. Silberman and Allan R. Stein.   Aspen Law & Business, c2001.   KF8839 .S58 2001

Civil Procedure In A Nutshell / Mary Kay Kane.   Thomson/West, c2003.   KF8841 .K36 2003

Civil Procedure Stories / Kevin M. Clermont, ed.   Thomson/West, c2004.   KF8839 .C458 2004

The Glannon Guide To Civil Procedure:  Learning Civil Procedure Through Multiple-Choice Questions And Analysis / Joseph W. Glannon.   Aspen Publishers, c2003.   KF8841 .G59 2003

Introduction To Civil Procedure / Richard D. Freer.   Aspen Publishers, c2006.   KF8839 .F745 2005

Ohio Board Of Bar Examiners, Outline Of Subjects Tested On Essay Portion Of Ohio Bar Examination (Columbus, OH:  Supreme Court of Ohio 1984- ).  KFO76 .Z9 O8546.  Outlines the subjects tested on the essay portion of the Ohio Bar Examination in order to provide a guide to bar examiners in drafting the essay questions.  The "Civil Procedure" section in the  November 2002 edition provides citation to legal authorities in civil procedure as a convenience to the bar examiners.  It includes outlines for Jurisdiction and Venue, Pleading, Joinder, Discovery, Pre-Trial Matters, Trial, PostTrial Matters, Appeal, and Collateral Effects.

Principles Of Civil Procedure / Kevin M. Clermont.   Thomson/West, c2005.   KF8840 .C54 2005

A Student's Guide To Elements Of Proof / Ronald L. Carlson.   Thomson/West, c2004.   KF8950 .C37 2004

A Student's Guide To The Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure / Steven Baicker-McKee, William M. Janssen, and John B. Corr.   Thomson/West, c2005.   KF8841 .B35 2005

Understanding Civil Procedure / Gene R. Shreve and Peter Raven-Hansen.   LexisNexis, c2002.   KF8840 .S484 2002

 

Searching SCHOLAR and OhioLINK   (SCHOLAR hands-on instruction)

SCHOLAR is the electronic catalog for Cleveland State University's Law Library and University Library.  CSU also participates in the state-wide consortia OhioLINK, which provides access to a state-wide central catalog and numerous research databases.  For treatises and other materials, search the SCHOLAR and OhioLINK catalogs with the subject headings   Civil Procedure; Civil Procedure - United States; Civil Procedure - Ohio.  See also the 40+ Civil Procedure Related Subject Headings.

 

Journal Articles and Current Awareness Services

See the Finding Articles in Law Reviews, Journals and Other Legal Periodicals guide for an explanation of the legal periodical indexes and databases available to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law students and the CSU community.  That guide covers print and electronic indexes, as well as electronic full-text journals.  In particular, note OhioLINK's  Electronic Journal Center and its Social Sciences - Politics, Political Science, and Law subject cluster.

Selected specialty journals and current awareness materials concerning Civil Procedure in the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library collection include:

Civil Justice Digest.   Roscoe Pound Foundation.   K3 .I84 

Current Developments In Federal Civil Practice.   Practicing Law Institute.   KF8841 .C872

Federal Rules Digest.   Callaghan, c1973-.   KF8830.1 .F43

Federal Rules Service.   Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, c1992-.   KF8830.1 .F423

Litigation News.  Ohio State [Bar] Association.   KF200 .L574

Weissenberger's Federal Civil Procedure:  Litigation Manual / A.J. Stephani and Glen Weissenberger.   Anderson Publishing Co., c1998-.   KF8816 .A2 .W4

 

Aggregate Databases and Other Web Resources

American Bar Association:   Section of Litigation

Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute:  Law about:   Civil Procedure; Court Rules

Federal Judicial Center:   Publications

Federal Judicial Center publications subjects include Appellate System Structure and Revision, Case Management - Appellate, Case Management - Civil, Caseloads and Case Weights, Circuit and District Executives, Class Action Litigation, Complex Litigation, Court Governance and Management, Court Reporters and Reporting, Discovery and Disclosure, Evidence, Expert Witnesses, Federal Judicial Center, Federal Judicial System, Federal Jurisdiction, Judges and the Judiciary, Jury Instructions, Jury Selection and Utilization, Mass Torts, Pro Se Litigation, Research in the Courts, Rules - Federal Rulemaking, Sanctions, Settlement, Special Masters, Stare Decisis, and State-Federal Judicial Relationships.

LexisONE:  Legal Web Site Directory:  Practice Areas:   Litigation

LexisNexis:   Federal Legal - US:  Court Rules:  Individual Circuit Rules

LexisNexis:   Reference:  Continuing Legal Education:  ALI-ABA Course of Study:  Civil Practice and Litigation Techniques

See also individual source files in these LexisNexis Library sections:

Area of Law - By Topic:  Litigation:  Court Rules

Area of Law - By Topic:  Litigation:  Treatises & Analytical Materials

Area of Law - By Topic:  Litigation:  Treatises & Analytical Materials - Matthew Bender

Secondary Legal:  Area of Law Treatises

Secondary Legal:  Individual ALI-ABA Materials

Secondary Legal:  Matthew Bender (R):  By Area of Law

States Legal:  Ohio:  Treatises & Analytical Material:  Civil Practice & Procedure

LLRX.com:   Court Rules, Forms & Dockets

"Links to over 1,400 sources for state and federal court rules, forms and dockets."  Browsable by court, jurisdiction, state, and type of resource.  Searchable by keyword.

MegaLaw.com:   Legal Research:  Topic Index:   Civil Procedure

Ohio Supreme Court:   Ohio Rules of Court

OhioLINK Research Databases:   Law and Legislation

Includes Congressional Universe (particularly "Hot Bills/Topics" group), Index to Legal Periodicals and Books, LexisNexis Congressional (same as Congressional Universe), LexisNexis Academic (particularly "News" and "Medical" groups), PAIS International, Papers First, Proceedings First, Social Sciences Citation Index.

The Virtual Chase - Legal Research Guide - Legal Subjects -   Litigation

Westlaw:  Topical Materials by Area of Practice:  Litigation:   Civil Procedure & Evidence
Includes state court orders, forms, and other secondary sources, as well as all topic federal and state cases, state court rules, and state court orders.

See also individual databases in these Westlaw Directory sections:

Area of Law - By Topic:  Litigation:  Treatises & Analytical Material

Forms, Treatises, CLEs and Other Practice Material

Litigation

U.S. Federal Materials

U.S. State Materials

U.S. State Materials:  Ohio:  Court Rules & Orders

U.S. State Materials:  Ohio:  Forms, Treatises, CLEs & Other Practice Material

 

Laura E. Ray, MA, MLS

Educational Programing Librarian

April 2006

 

 

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