| Domestic Violence, Firearms, and the Courts |
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| Domestic violence against women is increasingly common in the United States. The United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, estimates that at least one million violent crimes are committed against former spouses or intimate partners each year. The vast majority of these victims are women. Prior domestic violence and the abuser's access to a firearm greatly increase the likelihood that a female intimate partner will become a homicide victim. More... |
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| Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure |
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| A person or company unable to pay debts may declare bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a legal process in which the financial affairs of the debtor (a person or a company) are placed in the hands of the bankruptcy court. The process is intended to protect the creditors of the debtor and assure their equal treatment. More... |
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| State Appellate Procedural Process |
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| If a litigant is dissatisfied with the trial court's judgment, the litigant can file an appeal. The party who files the appeal is called the appellant; the other party is called the appellee or respondent. This article discusses the steps in the state appellate procedural process. More... |
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| Service of Process -- Notice of a Lawsuit |
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| A lawsuit begins when a plaintiff (the party suing) files a complaint with the clerk of courts. The defendant (the person or company being sued) is given notice that a lawsuit has been filed and is "summoned" to appear before the court. Service of process means that the defendant is given notice of the lawsuit and a copy of the complaint that was filed. More... |
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| State Court System Overview |
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| Each of the 50 states has its own court system. Each state system has three levels: the lowest level (generally called trial court), an appellate level (generally called a court of appeal), and the highest level (generally called a supreme court). More... |
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