Law School Resources

Case Briefs, Hypos, Class Notes, Outlines, & Analysis

















Law School Resources

Practice Court

I.  Introduction & Review

1)      Ways to attack a judgment:

a)      Appeal

i)        ordinary appeal

(1)    on all grounds

(2)    have 30 days to appeal

ii)       restricted appeal (a “writ of error”)

(1)    brought by someone that did not actively participate in the action at the trial ct level

(2)    errors appear on the face of the record

(3)    180 days to perfect

b)      Direct Attacks (at trial ct level)

i)        JNOV

ii)       motion for new trial

iii)     motion to alter/amend jj

iv)     equitable bill of review (Texas only)

c)      Collateral Attacks

i)        only for certain cirx

(1)    no notice

(2)    no personal jx

(3)    other we will discuss later

ii)       defined:  on behalf of D in original lawsuit, argue to another ct that jj is invalid

iii)     only avail. if default jj rendered

iv)     policies

(1)    finality

(2)    avoid multiplicity of suits & conflicting jj’s

2)      Finality

a)      res judicata (claim preclusion; merger & bar)

i)        valid

ii)       final

iii)     jj

iv)     same parties or privies (interest protected in prior suit) (parties = P & D)

v)      same claim [CNOF] (claim = arises out of same transaction/occurrence, series of transactions/occurrences)

b)      collateral estoppel

i)        valid

ii)       final

iii)     jj

iv)     PTB estopped was party/privy to prior suit (only PTB estopped)

v)      same exact issue:

(1)    actually litigated

(2)    necessarily decided

c)      single satisfaction doctrine

i)        elements

(1)    if there is any overlap of injuries

(2)    P barred from recovering on 2 jj’s (must elect)

ii)       ex.  damage to property from one flood caused by 2 D’s; in one suit, P gets $100k; in second suit, P gets $110k; P can recover up to $100k from D1 and up to $110k from D2 but only up to $110k total

d)      law of the case:  legal issue decided earlier in case, can’t re-determine at later stage (e.g. on appeal)

e)      direct estoppel:  can’t re-determine fact-finding once decided

 

II. The Plaintiff’s Pleading

1)      Form

a)      name

i)        federal = complaint

ii)       Texas = petition

b)       

2)      Parties & Joinder

...more