Court Rules & Procedures

Comprehensive reference for federal and state court rules, procedures, and deadline requirements.

Federal Rules State Rules Local Rules Deadline Tools

Federal Court Rules

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP)

Complete set of procedural rules governing civil litigation in federal courts.

Key Rules:

Rule 12 - Motions
Rule 26 - Discovery
Rule 56 - Summary Judgment

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Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure

Procedural rules for criminal proceedings in federal district courts.

Key Rules:

Rule 5 - Initial Appearance
Rule 16 - Discovery
Rule 32 - Sentencing

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Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (FRAP)

Rules governing appeals to federal courts of appeals and the Supreme Court.

Key Rules:

Rule 4 - Appeal Time
Rule 28 - Briefs
Rule 30 - Record on Appeal

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Federal Rules of Evidence

Rules governing the admission of evidence in federal court proceedings.

Key Rules:

Rule 401 - Relevance
Rule 702 - Expert Testimony
Rule 801 - Hearsay

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Federal Rules Quick Reference

Civil Procedure Deadlines

• Rule 12(a): 21 days to answer
• Rule 12(b): Motion to dismiss timing
• Rule 26(f): Meet and confer requirement
• Rule 56: Summary judgment motions

Discovery Rules

• Rule 26: General discovery provisions
• Rule 30: Deposition procedures
• Rule 33: Interrogatory limits
• Rule 34: Document production

Appeal Deadlines

• Rule 4: 30 days to appeal (civil)
• Rule 4: 60 days (if US is party)
• Rule 28: Brief filing deadlines
• Rule 30: Record preparation

State Court Rules

California

California Code of Civil Procedure

Comprehensive procedural rules for California state courts.

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New York

New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR)

Procedural rules governing civil practice in New York state courts.

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Texas

Texas Rules of Civil Procedure

Procedural rules for civil litigation in Texas state courts.

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Florida

Florida Rules of Civil Procedure

Comprehensive civil procedure rules for Florida state courts.

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State Rule Variations

Common State Differences

• Answer deadlines vary from 20-30 days
• Discovery rules differ significantly between states
• Motion practice varies in timing and format
• Service of process rules are state-specific
• Appeal deadlines range from 30-60 days

Important Considerations

• Always check current versions of state rules
• Local rules may modify state procedures
• Electronic filing requirements vary by state
• Holiday schedules affect state court deadlines
• Some states have specialized court divisions

Local Court Rules

Northern District of California

Local Rules

District-specific rules for NDCA federal court practice.

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Southern District of New York

Local Rules

District-specific rules for SDNY federal court practice.

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Central District of California

Local Rules

District-specific rules for CDCA federal court practice.

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Local Rule Importance

Why Local Rules Matter

• Override or supplement federal/state rules
• Establish specific formatting requirements
• Set unique deadline calculations
• Require special procedures for certain motions
• Govern electronic filing systems

Common Local Rule Areas

• Case management and scheduling
• Motion practice and page limits
• Discovery procedures and deadlines
• Expert witness disclosures
• Alternative dispute resolution

Rule-Based Deadline Tools

FRCP 12 Answer Calculator

Calculate answer deadlines under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(a).

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Discovery Deadlines

Calculate discovery cutoff dates and Rule 26(f) conference requirements.

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Appeal Deadlines

Calculate appeal deadlines under FRAP Rule 4 and state appellate rules.

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Motion Response Time

Calculate deadlines for responding to various types of motions.

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Service Deadlines

Calculate service of process deadlines under federal and state rules.

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All Calculators

View our complete collection of rule-based deadline calculators.

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