ABSTRACT
A rudimentary description of the judicial process in US courts. First, how complaints are made and how desired remedies is articulated. Then how initial responses are made is outlined. Pretrial processes are then explained, especially the critically important discovery process. Various other pretrial motions are laid out, especially those concerning the qualifications of the proposed forensic witnesses. Then the steps in an actual trial are described: opening statements, the plaintiff’s case-in-chief, cross-examination, the defendant’s case-in-chief, cross-examination, rebuttals and surrebuttals, and then closing arguments. Then the chapter notes the reality that most cases never go that far. But any settlements reached usually rest heavily on forensic evidence prepared in anticipation of trial. Without those preparations, the agreements most likely will not occur. The chapter also includes a case study about depositions.
