| Venue in Civil Lawsuits |
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| Venue refers to the location (city, town, or county) where a trial should be held. Each state has rules for determining the correct venue for filing a lawsuit. Improper venue is not a ground for dismissing a lawsuit. A defendant can waive or give up his right to claim improper venue. Either party can request a change of venue.More... |
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| The Jurisdiction of a State Court |
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| Jurisdiction refers to the power of a court to hear and decide a case. The power of a state court to hear a particular case comes from the constitution and laws of that state. For a court's decision to be legally binding, the court must have both subject matter jurisdiction (authority to hear a case involving the type of legal matter at issue, such as a contract or a personal injury) and personal jurisdiction (authority over the parties to the suit). More... |
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| Domestic Violence, Firearms, and the Courts |
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| Domestic violence against women is increasingly common in the United States. The United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, estimates that at least one million violent crimes are committed against former spouses or intimate partners each year. The vast majority of these victims are women. Prior domestic violence and the abuser's access to a firearm greatly increase the likelihood that a female intimate partner will become a homicide victim. More... |
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| Is Judicial Independence in Jeopardy? |
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| Our governmental system contains checks and balances, which are designed to prevent any branch of government--executive, legislative, or judicial--from becoming too powerful. The independence of the judiciary is one of the central principles of a democracy. Judicial independence allows judges to make rulings that are based on legal principles instead of politics or public opinion. The independence of the court system assures fair and impartial rulings in legal matters. The Founding Fathers intentionally made the process of removing judges from office a difficult one, so that judges would be insulated from public pressure and could render decisions based on a careful analysis of the applicable law. More... |
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| Appeal Bonds |
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| In the federal courts and most state courts, the defendant has a right to appeal the judgment. In most jurisdictions, it is necessary to give a bond when appealing a case. More... |
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