E-Discovery and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedures

CHAPTER 1: WHAT ARE THE FEDERAL RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE?

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) govern the activities of all US federal civil courts. Civil procedure is the body of law that sets out the process that courts will follow when hearing cases of a civil nature (a ‘civil action’, as opposed to a criminal action). These rules govern how a lawsuit or case may be commenced, what kind of service of process is required, the types of pleadings or statements of case, motions or applications, and orders, the timing and manner of depositions and discovery or disclosure, the conduct of trials, the process for judgment, the various remedies available, and how the courts and clerks must function.

Scope of the FRCP

Because the FRCP applies ...