A trust will enable your heirs to avoid the probate court process, which can be a significant advantage. Assets placed in a trust are immediately accessible to the trustee whereas assets left to beneficiaries of wills cannot be formally distributed until the probate process has been completed. Probate is a court-supervised legal … Read Article
We all hope to avoid being involved with accidents, however, as playwright George Bernard Shaw wisely said, “the unexpected always happens”. Even in the best of circumstances, for instance, a friend is injured in your home and you don’t anticipate a lawsuit, it is always advisable to obtain the opinion of a qualified attorney who … Read Article
From financial consequences to a ruined professional reputation, legal malpractice suits always have serious ramifications. What can engender a legal malpractice suit? Sometimes simply a missed deadline – highlighting the importance of a solid calendaring system as well a means to easily keep track of local rules; this is where a product such as SmartRules.com … Read Article
Alternative Dispute Resolution (known as “ADR”) can be used to resolve conflicts without becoming involved in civil litigation. The continual increase in courthouse closings across the country is likely to push trial dates even farther out on the calendar as well, which may make using ADR to resolve disputes a more viable option. Depending on … Read Article
Beginning Monday, May 20th eFiling became mandatory for all cases filed in the Missouri Counties of Stoddard and Cape Girardeau. Missouri began rolling out the first phase of its eFiling system in September 2011. They carefully and successfully added a handful of courts during 2012, thus paving the way for adding 26 courts by the … Read Article
Check SmartRules for the latest updates to the California Rules of Civil Procedure. Here is a brief update of what is new in the California courts. The Central District of California has amended its Local Rules effective December 1, 2012. The Northern District of California adopted e-discovery guidelines effective November 27, 2012. The Southern District of California amended … Read Article
The Federal Court rules have recently changed. Amendments to the Federal Bankruptcy and Criminal Rules are effective December 1, 2012. Amendments are proposed to the federal Appellate, Bankruptcy, Criminal and Evidence Rules. Comments by February 15, 2013.
The California Superior Courts will be closed to the public on the third Wednesday of each month due to a mandatory statewide closure.
Use this At A Glance Guide to learn the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure related to making a jury demand in the United States District Courts.