| Guidance for a Defendant in Small Claims Court |
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| Small claims courts resolve disputes involving smaller dollar amounts than regular trial courts. For example, small claims courts in Wisconsin decide contract disputes, property damage actions, personal injury suits, evictions, the return of earnest money, and repossessions of property when the amount claimed is $5000 or less. More... |
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| 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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| Restraining Orders to Protect the Victim of Abuse |
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| A restraining order is a court order that is issued to protect someone who is being harassed, abused, or threatened. Restraining orders protect battered spouses and their children. Restraining orders typically direct the alleged perpetrator to stop doing certain acts or to stay away from the victim's home or workplace. There are several types of restraining orders: domestic violence restraining orders, harassment restraining orders, and child abuse restraining orders. This article discusses each type of restraining order, how to obtain a restraining order, and the consequences for violating a restraining order. More... |
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| Personal Representatives |
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| When a person dies, state law establishes legal procedures for settling the deceased person's estate. This process is called probate. If the person has a will, he/she may name someone to serve as personal representative. A personal representative is the executor or administrator of a deceased person's estate. In some states, the terms executor and administrator are used in place of personal representative. If no personal representative is specified by will or if the person dies intestate (without a will), the probate court will appoint someone to serve as personal representative.
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| Juror Misconduct |
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| In the American judicial system, there is a fundamental right to have a trial by jury. The United States Constitution and the constitutions of the states guarantee the right to a trial by jury. The constitutional right to a trial by jury includes a right to an impartial or fair jury. Before a jury is impaneled, the jurors take an oath in which they swear or affirm to try the case in a fair and impartial manner, according to the law and the evidence. This article discusses juror misconduct. Under some circumstances, courts grant a new trial because of juror misconduct. More... |
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