Concepts and Methods of Federal Civil Procedure

By David Dittfurth

Concepts and Methods of Federal Procedure contains explanations of the topics covered in the beginning law school course in civil procedure. The book begins with an introduction to law study and an overview of procedure in federal trial courts, and it covers such topics as standing to sue and the justiciability doctrines. In addition, other chapters discuss pleadings, motions, parties, claims, discovery, and trial.

The book is designed to introduce law students to the complexities of federal jurisdiction and procedure, and contains a sufficient wealth of detail to allow its use as a reference. Dittfurth explains federal procedure in a way which makes the subject accessible to those who have no background in procedure. The book provides summaries to introduce students to the essential rules needed for analysis. In addition, hypothetical problems are posed and answered to show how these rules and case decisions can be used.

A teacher's manual is also available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0890897387
• ISBN13: 9780890897386
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Carolina Academic Press
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Best basic introduction to civil litigation I have found

This is the best introduction/overview to civil litigation that I have found. In fact, I'm sitting in the NYU Law Library right now where I have just read an aisle full of books about civil procedure during the past month, and this is the best that I have come across. I notice that two of the library's copies are missing, and the one remaining is heavily marked up--more so than any other book on the aisle. This suggests to me that a lot of other readers like the book too. The book is "pedestrian" in the positive sense of being "walkable"--it's easy to get through. But that doesn't mean it's inaccurate or incomplete. To the contrary, Dittfurth has such a clean and total grasp of every facet of civil litigation, both substantive and procedural, that he's able to describe it in short, sharp declarative sentences that are a pleasure to say, not just read. In sparse readabale sentences, the author precisely describes the legal concepts underlying everything from claims to remedies, as well as civil procedure from pre-filing through post-judgment, and he offers practical step-by-step suggestions for doing everything from writing a brief to drafting many specific motions, along with examples of each. Yet this is NOT a "Dummies" book. Great book, Professor Dittfurth. I hope you continue to publish it going forward, although I haven't seen anything yet that needs to be updated. Highly recommended to students and practicing attorneys alike.