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CivPro2 Final Outline (Complex Joinder to Preclusion)
 
I. Themes of CivPro (FACE-F)—why the rules/statutes operate as they do, the goals they’re designed to meet: Fairness * Accuracy * Consistency * Efficiency * Finality
II. Complex Joinder:
A. Supplemental Jurisdiction, 28 usc 1367, Kroger
B. Rule 19: Compulsory joinder (necessary parties) When one of the parties to a suit (usually D) wants to add a 3rd party (but usually 3rd party doesn't want to or can't be added):
C. Rule 24: 3rd Party Intervention: When parties don't want a 3rd party in a suit, but the 3rd party wants in.
1. Intervention as Right. NRDC case.
2. Permissive intervention:
3. NRDC v. US NRC, 1978, p. 940—Rule 24 —P suing D for violating federal statute that requires environmental impact statement (EIS) before issuing license for uranium mills. Jurisdiction under federal question. The case would probably affect 3rd parties. At least three parties (mines) tried to intervene, claiming their rights to open mills might be affected. Ct. agreed and allowed one of them to intervene.
a. Prof added consideration of prejudice to parties already in suit (which is mentioned in 24b).
b. Why are the other two parties not allowed to intervene?
c. Will UNC really adequately represent interests of other parties? Not necessarily. UNC could agree to a settlement that would allow UNC a permit w/out EIS, but require an EIS for all future permits. This would give UNC what it wants, but it wouldn’t be great for Kerr-McGee, Anaconda, Gulf, etc.
d. Ct. also needs to look at the competence of UNC's counsel—will they be able to adequately represent the interests of the other parties who want to intervene?
III. Discovery (Rules 26-37)
A. General notes and Purpose of Discovery:
B. Mechanisms for discovery:
1. Initial disclosures under Rule 26a
2. Methods of getting info from other party; Governed by Rules 30-36 (need not know details of each rule, just generally and certain limitations on each):
3. Rule 33: Interrogatories—Written questions that elicit written answers. Cheap and easy; good way to get started. Answers to questions might to lead to next step in discovery.
4. Depositions (Rules 27-28, 30-32, Hunter 89) —interviews w/parties to case and witnesses
a. Depositions can produce more detailed and potentially "better" answers because the lawyer filter can be decreased. Lawyers write interrogatories, not the parties in a case.
b. Depositions also allow you to see the person's demeanor, body language, how he/she reacts to you, etc.
c. Rule 30c: Any objections to a deposition will be noted for the record, but the deposition will continue, w/testimony being taken subject to the objections.
d. Rule 30d1:  If your objection is asserting attorney-client privilege, your client doesn't have to answer the Q because the privilege is designed to protect the confidentiality of that info.
e. To depose a 3rd party, you need to subpoena them. If you want them to bring documents, you have to use a subpoena duces tecum.
5. Rule 34: Requests for documents and things—
6. Rule 35: Physical and Mental (medical) exams:
7. Rule 36: Admissions
8. 26e: Duty to supplement if things change
C. Scope of Discovery & Limits on Discovery & Sanctions and Judicial Supervision of Discovery
1. 26b1: General scope—26(b)(1) limits discovery to "any matter, not privileged, that is relevant to the claim or defense of any party"
2. Limits (defenses to the requests for discovery)
a. Rule 26b2: If request is overbroad (as to time or subject matter) or burdensome
b. 26b3: Trial Prep/work product doctrine (Hickman)
c. 26a2 & 26b4 Experts: Thompson and Chiquita
3. 26c: Protective Orders
a. Defensive limit on discovery; when party seeks to protect something from discovery by opposing party. Discretionary. Judge must balance equities in order to ensure integrity of discovery process (liberal) and prevent potential abuse.
b. Party seeking order must show good cause.
c. Parties must have tried to work issue out themselves (efficiency, conservation of judicial resources)
d. 8 options allow judge to protect party/person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense (see R26c, p.83)
4. 26g: Enforcement and Sanctions on discovery
5. Rule 37: Motion to compel, Marketing Solutions
IV. Choice of law: (Erie)
A. The question: In a diversity case, do you apply federal or state law?
1. Is the state law/constitution/common law issue controlled by (fall w/in the scope of) a federal statute or rule?
2. If federal statute does control, go down REA side:
3. If federal law/rule does not control: Go down RDA side. Is this a rule of decision or not?
a. Look to twin aims of Erie:
b. If answer to either q is yes, apply state law, unless there's a countervailing federal concern (Byrd—the 7th Amend. right to jury trial is the only contervailing federal concern that's been shown to override application of state law under these circumstances).
c. If answer to both q's is no, apply federal law.
V. Resolution w/out Trial
A. Rule 56: Summary Judgment: entry of J by the ct. in favor of either party w/out trial. Rule 56 motion comes after discovery. Basic claim: Your evidence does not allow you to prove your complaint.
1. 56c Grounds for Sum J: Moving party must show there is no dispute over any genuine issue of material fact (GIMF) and the movant is entitled to J as a matter of law.
2. Disputes of fact/credibility are never resolved on sum J (issues to  be decided by jury). Sum Judgment is a matter of law (not facts). Ct. is saying there just isn't any evidence to support a fact. Only granted when facts aren't in controversy.
3. Burdens of showing no GIMF:
a. Burden is always on the moving party.
b. If moving party has the burden at trial (usually the P), the moving party must have in admissible form evidence that establishes absence of GIMF.
c. If moving party doesn't have burden at trial (D), the moving party must show the absence of admissible evidence to support the non-moving party's case. Celotex.
d. If moving party meets initial burden, burden shifts to non-moving party to demonstrate that there is a GIMF.
4. Rule 56 v. 12b6:
5. Rule 56f: Attorney can file affadavit for more time prior to Sum J.
B. Rule 55— Default J.
C. Rule 41: Dismissal
D. Settlement or other negotiation.
E. Rule 16: judicial management.
VI. Trial: Right to Jury
A. Rule 38b: In fed. ct. you must demand a jury trial in writing w/in 10 days of service of the last pleading or right may be waived.
B. Rule 39b: You must ask for jury trial in writing.
C. 7th Amendment guarantees right to trial by jury:
1. Only applies to federal courts
2. Right to jury trial is preserved only in cases tried at law (i.e. w/legal remedies)
3. Equitable remedies: only available if an inadequate remedy at law (i.e. if $ damages are inadequate); can be decided w/out jury.
D. Right to jury today depends on whether you would have had a jury trial at common law in England in 1791. Two problems in applying doctrine (7th Amend.)
E. How to determine right to jury trial:
VII. Trial Order: Opening stmts -->P’s case -->D’s case --> Closing Arguments *JMOL* --> Jury Decision *Renewed JMOL* --> Appeal.
VIII. Controls over Jury
A. Law of evidence and jury instruction control what info the jury gets. Motions control whether case gets to jury or allow change of jury's decision after the verdict
B. Rule 50a —JMOL (Judgment as a Matter Of Law)
1. Purpose: To protect D's from situations where there is little/no evidence on P's side, but the jury may award damages out of sympathy.
a. Verdicts cannot be based on possibilities; must be sound reasonable bases for jury or ct. to show that party met its burden
2. Timing: You must bring it before case goes to jury. If granted then, it's a directed verdict. If denied, then you've preserved your right to raise it after verdict.
3. You can first move for JMOL after non-moving party has been fully heard on the issue.
4. Issues For jury to decide:
5. Constitutionality of JMOL:
C. Rule 50B: Renewed JMOL (JNOV)
1. Can renew motion for JMOL after jury verdict. If granted, it's a Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict (JNOV).
2. JNOV only granted if jury reached a seriously erroneous verdict that will result in miscarriage of justice because of:
3. Procedures: You have to save opportunity to move for JNOV by moving for JMOL at close of evidence.
4. Why judge might deny a 50a motion for JMOL, but then grant a 50b motion after verdict:
a. If there is insufficient evidence on one side, judge may hope jury makes "right decision" and still comport w/7th Amend.
b. If jury makes the "wrong" decision, judge can "reverse" by granting JMOL. If case is then appealed and appellate ct. decides JMOL was in error, lower ct. will simply reinstate jury verdict rather than sending the case back for an entirely new trial. (If judge grants JMOL prior to jury verdict, then JMOL is reversed on appeal, case must be tried anew).
5. Appellate standard: JMOL is reviewed by appellate ct De Novo.
D. Rule 59: Motion for new trial (Lindh)
1. 59a: grounds for new trial (basic, read the rule). Generally may be granted when:
2. 59b: Timing: w/in 10 days after entry of J
3. 59d: Trial judge has nearly unlimited discretion to grant
4. Usually a party will bring both JMOL and Rule 59 motion for new trial. Judge will decide both at same time for efficiency purposes. Grant of JMOL with grant of new trial is not immediately appealable b/c the new trial just proceeds w/out appeal necessary.
5. New trials are reviewed for abuse of discretion. Trial ct. gets greater latitude when it grants new trial than when it denies it.
E. Conditional New Trial: When judge determines jury award of damages was excessive she has 3 choices: 1) Let J stand, 2) New Trial, or 3) Conditional New Trial.
IX. 28 USC 1291 — Appeals:
A. Requirements for an appeal:
B. Departures from finality
1. Rule 54b: If you have multiple parties or claims, ct. may direct entry of final J as to one or more but fewer than all the claims or parties only upon express determination that there is no just reason for delay as to that claim/party.
2. Collateral Order Doctrine: A court-made exception to final J rule: Appellate ct. has discretion to hear an interlocutory  appeal. Will only do so when:
a. The issue is collateral to/separate from the merits of the case
b. The issue involves important rights. No concrete rule about what's "important," but factors you might consider.
(1). what is the impact of this decision (the decision being appealed) to the party who is appealing, and to the other parties in the case, and to the case itself?
(2). what is the impact of this decision on other courts, other parties, future precedent, etc?
c. Ct's order conclusively determined/completely resolved the disputed question. (IOW: Ct's order was final J on that issue; lower Ct. can no longer change its mind on the issue.)
d. The issue will effectively be unreviewable on an appeal from a final J for the other issues (i.e., if resolution of the other issues (at the end of the case) would moot this one issue, and that could cause injustice, or if waiting for that final resolution would cause injustice).
3. Writ of Mandamus: A court order to a public official (e.g. a lower court judge) to perform his duties as required by law.
C. 1292: Interlocutory Appeals (other than via collateral order doctrine)
D. Scope of Appellate Review:
X. Binding/Preclusive effect of judgments:
A. General Notes:
B. Claim preclusion (aka "res judicata)—
C. Issue preclusion (aka "collateral estoppel")
1. Used when a subsequent lawsuit involves a different claim that riases issues already litigated in a prior lawsuit.
2. Distinguished from Claim Preclusion:
3. Elements of Issue Preclusion:
a. Same issue: both substantive and procedural (burden of proof) must be the same
b. Actually litigated—An issue is "actually litigated" when it has been presented to judge or jury as shown by record, opinion, pleadings, and extrinsic evidence.
c. Was it actually decided? If there are multiple grounds for the decision and you don't know if the particular issue was actually decided, then you have to assume it wasn't. Issue won't be precluded.
d. Was the issue essential to the judgment? Would you have a different result if the jury or judge had found differently w/respect to that issue?
4. Changes in legal precedent: If change occurs btwn case 1 and case 2, issue will not be precluded in second case.
5. Mixed questions of law and fact: When new historical facts are the basis of 2nd suit and there has been a change in the legal regime, IP will NOT preclude litigation of facts in case 2.  
D. Non-mutuality: (mutuality is no longer required)
1. Old doctrine: A party not bound by an earlier judgment (because not a party to it) could not use that judgment to bind his adversary who had been a party to the former action. The rule prohibiting a stranger's use of collateral estoppel was known as the doctrine of mutuality.
a. Reasoning: If a litigant could not be burdened with the effect of a prior judgment, it seemed inequitable to allow him to benefit from it.  Bernhard v. BofA
2. New doctrine: even if you weren't a party to the first suit, you may be able to preclude opponent from relitigating issues that were decided in that first case.
3. Mutuality: A party in a first case can bind a party in a second case, only if the second party was in privity w/the party in the first case.  
4. Defensive issue preclusion is almost always allowed: Where a D in the second action seeks to assert estoppel against the P — D trying to use a previously-decided issue against P; D trying to preclude P from relitigating an issue, so preclusion is being used as a "shield" for D rather than as a sword for P. Blonder-Tongue Labs.
5. Offensive issue preclusion is generally allowed also, w/4 exceptions (P in a second action trying to hold a previously-decided issue against a D; P is using preclusion as a "sword" so presents possibility of unfairness). The 4 exceptions:
a. Wait and see plaintiff. Only applies if the parties are closely related (i.e., husband and wife); Ps that could or should have joined in the first case, but chose not to b/c waiting to see outcome of suit 1.
b. Did D have reason to fully litigate 1st suit?
c. Were there inconsistent prior judgments?
d. Were there procedural opportunities, not available in first case, that would have affected the outcome?