MANAGMNT 260 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Summary Judgment, Demand Letter, Interrogatories
23 Jan 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Steps&in&the&Civil&Litigation&Process
Pleadings
Before&a&complaint&can&be&filed,&a&demand&letter&may&need&to&be&sent!
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Draft&the&Complaint
We&want&the&defendant&to&know&that&they&are&being&served/sued.
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Bring&two&copies&of&the&complain&with&you&to&the&courthouse.
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Clerk&marks&the&complain&as&entered&and&issues&the&summons
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Complaint&and&Summons&must&be&served&on&Goldilocks&(in&hand&service)&
Goldilocks&needs&a©&because&they&need&to&know&they&are&being&
served.&She&cannot&ignore,&if&she&does&then&she&can&lose&by&default.&
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Goldilocks&must&then&file&an&answer
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Answereither&Admits,&Denies,&or&Specifies&Insufficient&Information&with&which&
to&form&a&knowledge&or&belief&to&each&allegation&in&the&complaint.&Answer&also&
raises&affirmative&defenses&(defense&of&necessity&and&self-defense&would&be&
raised&in&the&answer.)&Answer&also&introduces&counterclaims.&
Amended&complaints&and&answers&for&clarification&
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Plaintiffs&reply
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Motions
Motion&to&Dismiss&(Failure&to&state&a&claim&upon&which&relief&can&be&granted.&
That&is,&even&if&everything&the&P&has&alleged& in&the&complaint&is&true,&the&law&
does¬&support&recovery&based&on&those&allegations.)&(The&focus&is&on&the&
pleadings.)
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Motion&for&Summary&Judgement&(Asserts&that&the&P&has&raised&no&genuine&issue&
to&be&tried&and&asks&the&judge&to&rule&in&favor&of&the&D.)&(Can&be&filed&by&P&
against&Ds,&although&this&I&less&common.)&(The&focus&is&on&the&pleadings,&as&well&
as&the&evidence&revealed&in&discovery.)
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Social&Holt&Liability&Example:&If&furnishment&is&a&required&element&of&social&host&
liability,&but&is¬&included&in&the&pleadings,&then&a&motion&to&dismiss&would&be&
appropriately&granted.&If&furnishment&is&included&in&the&pleadings,&but&there&is&
no&evidence&at&all&to&support&furnishment,&then&a&motion&for&summary&
judgement&would&be&appropriately&granted.&
Guest&came&to&house,&got&drunk,&and&then&got&in&an&accident.&
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Furnished:&gave,&provided
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Discovery&(Level&playing&field&between&the&parties;&each&side&should&
have&access&to&information&possessed&by&the&other&side!)
Interrogatories:&Written&questions&exchanged&between&the&parties,&answered&in&
writing&under&oath.&30&as&of&right!
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Depositions:&The&out&of&court&questioning&of&the&other&parties'&witnesses&under&
oath&(typically&transcribed&by&a&court&reporter.)&(Rules&of&Evidence&are¬&
strictly&applied&in&the&deposition&setting.)
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Requests&for&Documents&(Entry&Upon&Land,&Physical&Examinations,&Etc…)
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Discovery&is&supported&or&reinforced&by&the&subpoena&power&of&the&court.&That&
is,&the&court&can&order&a&party&to&produce&discovery.&If&the&party&refuses,&then&
the&court&can&fine&the&party,&jail&the&party,&or&rule&against&the&party&in&the&action.&
The&court&can&order&this&to&be&done,&or&else&can&punish&
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Tuesday(10/11/16
Tuesday,& October&11,&2016
10:22&AM
