Latin Is A Living Language In The Law
Know Your Case Law
Laws: The Real Four-Letter Words
Spot The Difference: CCP v. FRCP
As Seen On Tv And In Court
Name That "Legal" Movie
100

This term means "at first appearance" and refers to sufficient evidence unless rebutted.

What is Prima Facie?

100

This case limits medical specials to those actually incurred.

What is Howell v. Hamilton Meats & Provisions, Inc.?

100

This California law covers discrimination in employment and housing.

What is FEHA?

100

In state court you use the equivalent CCP 128.7 to get sanctions for frivolous filings.

What is Rule 11?

100

If a product is defective and causes injury, this doctrine allows a plaintiff to recover without proving negligence.

What is Strict Liability?

200
This term is used when judges correct clerical or minor errors in orders.

What is Nunc Pro Tunc?

200

This case sets forth the standard on Motions for Summary Judgment and is usually cited in the Legal Standard Section.

What is Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co.?

200

This California law requires most public projects to go through environmental review.

What is CEQA?

200

In state court, experts aren't obligated to do this for the expert disclosures.

What are Expert Reports?

200

A defectively manufactured product exposes not only manufacturers, but these people also, in the chain of commerce.

Who are Distributors and Retailers?

300

This doctrine bars re-litigation of claims that were or could have been brought.

What is Res Judicata?

300

This case limited how experts can rely on hearsay.

What is People v. Sanchez?

300

Many plaintiffs improperly make this claim that requires extreme and outrageous conduct, when they should stick to the negligent version at most.

300

In state court, you can ask for these twice in discovery, but in federal court, you don't need to ask.

What are Supplemental Discovery Responses?

300

CCP 335.1 establishes this statute of limitations period for product liability claims.

What is 2 years (personal injury) or 3 years (property damage)?

400

This term means "the things speaks for itself."

What is Res Ipsa Loquitur?

400

This case replaced the rule of contributory negligence with comparative negligence, significantly changing tort law.

400

This Federal statute targets organized crime.

What is RICO?

400

In state court, you need to file a discovery motion to get this when the other side fails to respond, but it is automatic in federal court.

What is Requests for Admission Deemed Admitted?

400

This type of product warning can be found almost everywhere in California, including gas stations, McDonalds, and clothing stores.

What is Prop 65 Warning?

400


What is "The Firm"?

500
This term means at the threshold and relates to trial.

What is In Limine?

500

Plaintiff's counsel abuse this case all the time in deposition to try to prevent the plaintiff from answering based on alleged legal contention.

What is Rifkind v. Superior Court?

500

This type of motion can reverse a jury verdict after the fact.

What is JNOV?

500

In state court civil cases, you get 12 jurors, but you may end up with as little as this many in federal court.

What is 6 jurors?

500

A proper warning may mitigate liability for product liability, but this doctrine may obviate the need for a warning when the risk is apparent to anyone.

What is Open and Obvious Defense?

500


What is "Philadelphia"?