Court Rules: Introduction

Court rules govern the procedures used within each court system, as well as the practices litigants must follow in a particular court.  Court rules enable the business of the court to run smoothly by putting parties on notice as to what is expected of them.  The rules that govern particular courts may be passed by legislatures or may be adopted by courts themselves.  In either case, court rules have the effect of statutory law.  

Courts may also have overlapping sets of rules to follow, for instance, there may be rules of procedure applicable in all federal courts, in addition to rules of a specific court which only apply to that court.  Practitioners must make sure they consult all applicable rules for the venue in which they are filing.  For a detailed description of the different types of court rules and an explanation of how court rules are promulgated, see Steven M. Barkan, Barbara A. Bintliff, and Mary Whisner, The Fundamentals of Legal Research, Foundation Press, 2015.  KF 240 .B37 2015. 

NOTE:  Sources for rules may be listed multiple times in this guide, depending on which courts they cover.