| Expedited State Appellate Procedures |
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| Most state appellate courts experience gridlock in processing appeals. The courts are having difficulty keeping pace with the increasing volume of appealed cases. As a result, there are significant delays in finalizing an appeal. In some cases, it can take more than two years between entry of the final judgment in the trial court and a final decision in the appellate court. The courts have been pursuing efficiency promoting methods. This article discusses procedures that are being adopted by state appellate courts to reduce the backlog of cases and speed up the appeal process. More... |
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| Powers of Attorney |
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| A power of attorney is a legal document in which a person (called the principal) delegates legal authority to another person (called the agent). The power of attorney gives the agent authority to make decisions for the principal in financial, property, and other legal matters. Most states specify the proper legal form for a power of attorney, and some legislatures have approved statutory forms for powers of attorney. Generally the principal's signature on a power of attorney form must be witnessed by a Notary Public.
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| The Common Law and Judicial Precedent |
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| The common law developed from unwritten English law, which was based on tradition and custom. English common law is the basis for federal law and the law of all states, except Louisiana (whose law is based on the Napoleonic Code or the French Civil Code). The most important characteristic of common law is that it is judge-made law rather the law derived from constitutions, statutes, regulations and ordinances, which are legislative enactments. Under the common law system, current cases are decided using the precedents established by past judicial decisions. More... |
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| Courthouse Security |
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| Courthouse security has been increased since events such as the Oklahoma City bombing of a federal court building and the tragedy of September 11, 2001, which destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The goal of enhanced security is twofold: to assure the safety of people and property in the courthouse and to preserve the integrity of the judicial process. Reasonably safe courthouses must be provided, measures have to be taken to safeguard court records, and a plan must be adopted that would permit the court system to function after an emergency. More... |
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| The Jury in a Civil Lawsuit |
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| There is a constitutional right to a jury trial in certain types of civil cases. The jury in a civil lawsuit usually contains 6 to 12 people. More... |
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