| Meaningful Access to the Courts for Self-Represented Litigants |
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| The number of persons who represent themselves in court proceedings has increased significantly in recent years. The increase in self-representation is placing a strain on the court system. Individuals have a constitutional right to represent themselves, and the courts have a duty to make certain that all individuals have meaningful access to the courts. Family law matters, such as uncontested divorces or dissolutions and child support modifications, are common areas where individuals choose to represent themselves. More... |
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| Expert Witnesses in Civil Lawsuits |
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| An expert witness is a witness who has knowledge of a technical subject. Because of his or her education, training or experience, an expert witness's testimony will aid the trier of fact in finding the truth in a lawsuit. More... |
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| Sunshine Laws |
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| States have enacted Sunshine Laws to ensure governmental integrity and accountability. Sunshine Laws require governmental bodies (commissions, boards, advisory committees, and agencies) to hold open public meetings, deliberations, and votes, unless otherwise provided by law. Sunshine Laws also guarantee public access to the records of governmental bodies, unless provided otherwise by law. More... |
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| General Civil Litigation |
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| Criminal litigation involves the government's prosecution of a person because of an alleged commission of a crime. Criminal behavior is punished by imposing a fine and/or imprisonment on the offender. All criminal proceedings are initiated by a government entity. General civil litigation, on the other hand, involves disputes between private parties. A civil lawsuit is initiated by one person against another person, business, or government entity. There can be multiple plaintiffs (person suing) and/or multiple defendan More... |
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| Hung Juries |
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| The United States Constitution guarantees all criminal defendants a right to a trial by a jury of their peers. A criminal jury consists of 12 people. There is also a constitutional right to a jury trial in certain types of civil cases. The jury in a civil case usually contains 6 to 12 people. If the jurors cannot agree on a verdict, the jury is said to be a "hung jury" or a "deadlocked jury." If a jury deadlocks, the result is a mistrial. More... |
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