ELON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW

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1 ELON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW Civil Procedure Fall 2008 PROFESSOR Eric M. Fink Telephone: Office: A213 Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 3:30-4:30 pm or by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION This course will introduce you to the procedures for civil lawsuits, with a focus on the federal courts. Topics to be covered include personal jurisdiction, federal subject-matter jurisdiction, venue, state law in federal courts (the Erie doctrine), pleading, joinder of parties and claims, disposition without trial, and the preclusive effect of judgments in future proceedings. REQUIRED MATERIAL Casebook A. Benjamin Spencer, Civil Procedure: A Contemporary Approach (2d ed., Thomson West 2008) The online interactive component of the casebook contains the complete text and links to supplemental material, including the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and pertinent statutory provisions. Accordingly, you will not need a separate statutory/rule supplement for this course. Course Website (Westlaw/TWEN) The course website contains supplemental readings and other material pertinent to the course. You should check the website regularly for posted material and notices.

2 Fall 2008 Civil Procedure (Fink) Page 2 COURSE POLICIES Class Attendance, Preparation, and Participation I expect you to attend class regularly, complete all reading as assigned, and contribute to class discussion. Excessive absences or persistent lack of preparation may result in a reduction of your final grade. Computers and Other Electronic Devices I encourage you to bring a computer to class, particularly as we will be making use of the interactive features of the casebook and other online resources. You may use your computer in class to access course materials, take notes, or other courserelated purposes. I expect you to refrain from using computers or other electronic devices during class for non-course-related purposes (including, but not limited to, , instant messages, or other communication; web browsing; and games). Noncourse-related use of computers or other electronic devices during class may result in a reduction of your final grade. Examinations and Grading Your final grade will be based on a series of in-class quizzes (40%) and a final examination (60%). You may earn a bonus of up to.25 grade points for outstanding in-class performance. There will be eight (8) quizzes, one for each course unit. The quizzes will be multiple-choice format, designed to test your knowledge of the rules and concepts of civil procedure. The quizzes will be closed materials (i.e. you may not access any other materials). The final exam will be essay format, requiring you to analyze factual scenarios according to the rules and concepts introduced in the course. The exam will be limited open material (i.e. you may use your casebook, your class notes, and an outline you prepared on your own or with a study group).

3 Fall 2008 Civil Procedure (Fink) Page 3 COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSIGNMENTS Introduction Civil Procedure Overview 1-20 Unit I: Personal Historical Roots Pennoyer v. Neff Hess v. Pawloski International Shoe v. Washington N.C. Stat N.Y.C.P.L.R Applying McGee v. International Life Hanson v. Denckla World Wide VW v. Woodson Keeton v. Hustler Magazine Calder v. Jones 2.4 Applying Burger King v. Rudzewicz Asahi Metal Indus. v. Superior Court 2.5 Applying Inset Syst. v. Instruction Set Zippo Mfg. v. Zippo Dot Com Young v. New Haven Advocate

4 Fall 2008 Civil Procedure (Fink) Page 4 General ; In Rem Perkins v. Benguet Consol. Mining Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia v. Hall Shaffer v. Heitner Transient ; Consent; Service Burnham v. Superior Court Carnival Cruise Lines v. Shute FRCP 4(k) Notice Mullane v. Central Hanover B&T Dunsenbery v. U.S Jones v. Flowers Unit II: Federal Subject-Matter Introduction Const. Art. III, 2 Diversity Mas v. Perry Hart v. FedEx Ground Del Vecchio v. Conseco Federal Question Osborn v. Bank of the United States Louisville & Nashville R.R. v. Mottley Grable & Sons v. Darue Eng. & Mfg. Const. Art. III, 2 28 U.S.C Supplemental United Mine Workers v. Gibbs Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Allapattah Svcs. Const. Art. III, 2 28 U.S.C

5 Fall 2008 Civil Procedure (Fink) Page 5 Removal Hays v. Cave Fullin v. Martin 28 U.S.C U.S.C. 1442, 1443, 1445, 1446, 1447, 1453 Unit III: Venue Establishing & Changing Venue , Bates v. C&S Adjusters Dee-K Enterprises v. Heveafil Sdn. Bhd. Hoffman v. Blaski Smith v. Colonial Penn Bolivia v. Philip Morris Companies; 28 U.S.C. 1391, 1404, Forum Non Conveniens Piper Aircraft Co. v. Reyno Unit IV: State Law in Federal Courts (The Erie Doctrine) Origins of the Erie Doctrine Swift v. Tyson Erie R.R. v. Tompkins 28 U.S.C Development of the Erie Doctrine Guaranty Trust v. York Byrd v. Blue Ridge Rural Elec. Co-op. The Rules Enabling Act and Modern Erie Doctrine Hanna v. Plumer Gasperini v. Center for Humanities 28 U.S.C

6 Fall 2008 Civil Procedure (Fink) Page 6 Unit V: Pleading Introduction to Pleading; The Complaint Swierkiewicz v. Sorema Bell Atlantic v. Twombly Rio Properties v. Rio Int l Interlink FRCP 9(b), 8(e)(2); FRCP 4(d), (e), (f) Responding to the Complaint American Nurses Ass n v. Illinois Zielinski v. Philadelphia Piers FRCP Amendments to Pleadings Beeck v. Aquaslide N Dive Worthington v. Wilson FRCP 15(a), (b), (c), (d) 6.9 Ensuring Truthful Allegations Hadges v. Yonkers Raceway FRCP 11 Unit VI: Joinder of Claims & Parties Joinder of Claims U.S. v. Heyward- Robinson FRCP 18(a); FRCP 13(a), (b), (g) Joinder of Parties Mosley v. GM Lehman v. Revolution Portfolio Temple v. Synthes Wilbur v. Locke NRDC v. Nuclear Reg. Comm. FRCP 20(a); FRCP 14(a); FRCP 19(a), (b); FRCP

7 Fall 2008 Civil Procedure (Fink) Page 7 Unit VII: Disposition Without Trial Default Judgment & Dismissal FRCP 55 Summary Judgment Celotex v. Cartrett FRCP Unit VIII: Effect of Judgments on Future Proceedings Claim Preclusion (Res Judicata) Nestor v. Pratt & Whitney Neson and Ford., Inc. v. Wanda Petroleum Semtek Int l v. Lockheed Martin Issue Preclusion (Collateral Estoppel) Cromwell v. County of Sac Parklane Hosiery Co. v. Shore