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Thomson West’s Federal Civil Rules Handbook, 2008 Edition Covers Sweeping Revisions to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
EAGAN, Minn.,
Each and every Federal Rule of Civil Procedure has been revised, the most sweeping change since the rules were enacted in 1938. To help lawyers understand the unprecedented changes that became effective on Dec. 1, 2007, Thomson West, a business within The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC), has published the Federal Civil Rules Handbook, 2008 edition.
The 2008 edition of the Federal Civil Rules Handbook not only
contains the text of the newly amended rules, but also includes substantial
analysis and commentary to guide practitioners through these new waters. It
includes a summary of the amendments, which explains the objectives, nature
and scope of the amendments. The book also contains a “road map” for each
rule, summarizing the substantive, organizational and language changes for
that rule, as well as commentary at the rule section or sub-section level
providing detailed information about all of these developments.
“The amendments change the entire landscape of the Federal Civil Rules,” said co-author Steven F. Baicker-McKee. “If litigators cite a provision based on where it used to be located, they may be citing to the wrong provision. In addition, the stylistic changes to the rules mean attorneys may be citing a rule to the court using old terminology. The new edition of the handbook provides a road map that can orient lawyers to these dramatic changes and give them comfort that when they go to court they are fully prepared.”
In addition to the amendments to the rules, the Supreme Court adopted
revisions for each of the appended illustrated federal forms. The Supreme
Court also promulgated an entirely new rule, Rule 5.2, designed to address
confidentially in pleadings, and issued its decision last year in Bell
Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, which expressly overturned prior precedent
and may have significantly changed the nature of notice pleading under the
Federal Rules. These new developments are critical to litigators and
extensively covered in Federal Civil Rules Handbook, 2008 edition.
This new edition of the handbook also marks its 15th anniversary as it
continues serve as the most comprehensive single-volume guide on all
procedural aspects of civil litigation, saving research time. It
contains more than 1,800 pages of procedural guidance in a quick and
easy-to-use reference tool, providing expert discussion and practice tips,
including practical applications, limitations and traps, and specifying the
timing for each step in a civil action. The 2008 edition is updated with
the most current case law available, including more than 1,000 new
citations, a great many of which are 2007 cases.
A podcast interview with two of the co-authors, Steven F. Baicker-McKee and
William M. Janssen, discussing the new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and
their impact on litigators can be downloaded at http://feeds.feedburner.com/Westcast.
About West
Headquartered in Eagan, Minn., Thomson West is the foremost provider of
integrated information solutions to the U.S. legal market. Thomson West is
a business within The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and was
formed when West Publishing and Thomson Legal Publishing merged in June
1996. For more information, please visit the Thomson West Web site at
west.thomson.com.
About The Thomson Corporation
The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com) is a global leader in
providing essential electronic workflow solutions to business and
professional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn.,
Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications
to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting,
financial services, scientific research and healthcare. The
Corporation’s common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock
exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC).
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