Civil Procedure: Introduction

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Before starting your research:

• Clarify what it is you are researching and why. Ask questions.

• Try to spot the important issues

• Identify your jurisdiction

• Brainstorm some keywords to use as search terms

• Make a research plan: where will you look, and why?

Some helpful tools:

• Burton's Legal Thesaurus - use this to broaden your list of search terms

• Black's Law Dictionary - to understand the meaning of a legal word or phrase

The study of civil procedure focuses on the rules that structure the process of civil court cases, from the initial filing of a case to the decision that determines its outcome.  There are different rules, or procedures, for different courts, as well as rules specific to each state and the federal system as a whole. 

The federal procedural system is based on (1) the Constitution of the Untied States, (2) the Federal Rules of Civil and Appellate Procedure, (3) federal statutes, and (4) cases. 

This guide is intended to introduce you to some of the key resources available at the Northeastern University School of Law Library for researching civil procedure law.

Here are some suggestions:

• Need ideas to start your research?  Try the Secondary Sources page.
• Looking for primary sources?  Visit the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure page.
• Preparing for an exam?  Check out the Study Aids page.

The materials mentioned in this guide -- except where classified as Reference, Reserve, or Database -- are most often found in the KF 8820-8841 range on the 4th Floor of the Law Library.

Reference Librarians are available to help you with your research questions

3rd Floor Law Library at Info Desk