This course will examine how civil litigation is conducted from the initiation of a lawsuit to its final resolution in a trial court. Students will examine issues relating to pleadings, joinder of claims and parties, discovery, summary judgment, motions for judgment as a matter of law, motions for a new trial, post-trial motions, and ethical limitations on pleadings and motions. The course may include a brief introduction to subject matter and/or personal jurisdiction.

This course will examine the powers and limits of federal courts, with a focus on the federal courts' relationship to state courts (federalism) and to Congress and the federal executive branch (separation of powers). Topics will include standing to sue, the power of Congress to restrict the jurisdiction of the federal courts, the obligation of federal courts to apply state law, abstention by the federal courts in favor of state court decision making, the federal courts' power to issue writs of habeas corpus, constitutional limits on suits against states and a brief introduction to 42 U.S.C. 1983 and other leading federal civil rights statutes.

Under the supervision of a faculty member, a student may receive up to two hours of course credit for researching and writing a substantial paper on a topic of the student's own choosing. The student must receive the instructor's per- mission to enroll in this course and must meet periodically with the instructor for discussion, review and evaluation. Each faculty member may supervise the research of no more than five students each semester.

Under the supervision of a faculty member, a student may receive up to two hours of course credit for researching and writing a substantial paper on a topic of the student's own choosing. The student must receive the instructor's per- mission to enroll in this course and must meet periodically with the instructor for discussion, review and evaluation. Each faculty member may supervise the research of no more than five students each semester.