In this course you will learn how to try a civil case in federal court.

Our class sessions will take place in Room 201 on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:00 to 11:40.

There are two required books:

(1) O'CONNOR'S FEDERAL RULES—CIVIL TRIALS (2023 edition) (Thomson Reuters), which I'll refer to as your "Rules Handbook." This book contains all of the rules and statutes that you'll be learning this semester. It also contains "commentaries" that provide helpful instruction on how to carry out many of the procedural maneuvers that we'll study. Please purchase the 2023 edition (ISBN 9781731925510). IMPORTANT NOTE TO STUDENTS: IF YOU ARE DELAYED IN ACQUIRING A COPY OF THIS BOOK, I WON'T HOLD IT AGAINST YOU—BUT TODAY (JANUARY 4), THE BOOK ARRIVED AND WAS BEING UNPACKED AT THE CSU BOOKSTORE. IT WILL BE READY FOR SALE TO STUDENTS BY MONDAY, JANUARY 9. I WON'T GIVE YOU ANY READING ASSIGNMENTS FROM THIS BOOK UNTIL AFTER WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR FIRST CLASS SESSION ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 10.

(2) Erichson, INSIDE CIVIL PROCEDURE (3d ed. 2018) (Wolters Kluwer) (ISBN 9781454892526). This book provides a clear, concise overview of all the topics we'll study this semester.

As you can see, I teach this course without a traditional casebook. Instead, I have created 48 "Problems" that pose real-world questions in specific factual settings. Answering my questions—i.e., applying the rules and statutes to those fact patterns—will be the main way that you learn Civil Procedure. We will certainly read some cases in this class, but those cases (and all of the Problems) will be posted on my course web page. My web page is NOT on Blackboard; instead, you'll find it on the Law School's website. (Specifically, you'll find it among the "Online Course Materials" after clicking on "More" and then on "Academics.") My course page is now up and running. Here is the password for gaining access to it: 513oneill23.

How will you know what to read for each class? The reading assignments are not in my Syllabus. Instead, the reading assignments appear on the first page of each Problem. After every class session, I will send you an email message telling you which Problems we'll cover in our next class session. The Problems drive this course.

How will you make use of the two books listed above? The Rules Handbook will provide the resources you'll need to answer almost every question posed by my Problems. INSIDE CIVIL PROCEDURE will give you a concise, big-picture understanding of every major topic to be covered in this course. As we move through the semester, the Problems will direct you to read an excerpt from INSIDE CIVIL PROCEDURE every time we enter a new section of this course.

In our first two class sessions, we won't be doing any Problems at all. Instead, I'll give you an introduction to the Civil Rules and to the path of a civil suit.

I look forward to seeing you at our first class session—on Tuesday morning, January 10, commencing at 10:00 in Room 201. Before our first class session, please read my Syllabus, which is posted immediately below as an attachment. The Syllabus provides more details on how I will teach this course.