Concepts
Class Actions in the United States
Understanding Class Actions A class action is a type of lawsuit in which one or more plaintiffs sue as representatives of a larger group of similarly situated persons. This procedural device allows …
Discovery in United States Law
Understanding Discovery Discovery is the pretrial phase in litigation during which parties exchange information and evidence relevant to the case. The discovery process enables each party to obtain …
Employment at Will in the United States
Understanding Employment at Will Employment at will is a fundamental doctrine in American labor law providing that, absent a specific agreement to the contrary, either the employer or the employee may …
Federal Preemption in United States Law
Understanding Federal Preemption Federal preemption is a constitutional doctrine under which federal law supersedes conflicting state law. Derived from the Supremacy Clause of Article VI, which …
Judicial Review in the United States
Understanding Judicial Review Judicial review is the power of courts to examine the constitutionality of legislative and executive actions and to invalidate those that violate the Constitution. In the …
Plea Bargaining in the United States
Understanding Plea Bargaining Plea bargaining is the process by which criminal defendants negotiate with prosecutors to resolve charges without a full trial. In exchange for a guilty plea, defendants …
Punitive Damages in United States Law
Understanding Punitive Damages Punitive damages, also called exemplary damages, are monetary awards granted to a plaintiff in addition to compensatory damages. Unlike compensatory damages, which aim …
Standing in United States Law
Understanding Standing Standing is a justiciability doctrine that determines whether a party has the right to bring a lawsuit in federal court. The doctrine arises from Article III of the …