As someone who is relatively new to legal research, anytime I find a tool that is straight-forward and easy to use, I want to shout about it from the roof-tops. Never have I met an area of research so bewilderingly abstruse and ambiguous as the law. Sometimes the things you think should be the easiest - “What is the time frame for serving a Notice to Compel Discovery?” – can be the most difficult. You search for “notice to compel discovery” and see something that looks promising, only to discover you’re looking at Trademark Law and that’s not actually what you need. You look at the forms but half of them have red flags and the other half say something like “Plaintiff’s motion to compel discovery – Another form” as though even your browser is overwhelmed by the sheer number and diversity of forms out there for one single motion. You try to read through the regulations on discovery but there are different regulations for Tax versus Government Accountability versus Commodity Trading and even the Environmental Review Appeals Commission has its own rules and I-just-wanted-to-know-in-a-simple-trial-what-are-the-rules-for-discovery-and-why-is-this-so-hard?!?
Thankfully Westlaw heard my dismayed cries and put together KeyRules.
KeyRules for all 50 states can be found by searching “KeyRules” in the search box. As you’re typing in the word, options will appear as suggestions in a box below that says “Looking for this?”. Click on “Keyrules” and that will get you where you need to be.
The states are broken down into counties. For Hamilton County, the KeyRules include pleadings, motions, requests, notices and applications. For each item, you will find a checklist, the timing, general requirements, documents, format, filing and service requirements, hearings, forms and applicable rules. All in one easy to use location.
Here is a list of what is included in the Hamilton County KeyRules.
Pleadings:
- Complaint
- Amended Complaint
- Answer
- Amended Answer
Motions, Oppositions and Replies:
Motion:
- to Strike
- for Leave to Amend
- for Continuance/Extension of Time
- for Summary Judgment
- for Sanctions
- in Limine
- to Compel Discovery
- for Protective Order
- for Discovery Sanctions
- for Preliminary Injunction
- for Relief from Judgment
- to Intervene
- for Judgment on the Pleadings
- for Substitution of Parties
- for Mental or Physical Examination of Witness
- to Dismiss
- for Directed Verdict, JNOV, or New Trial
- for Temporary Restraining Order
Requests, Notices and Applications:
- Interrogatories
- Response to Interrogatories
- Request for Production of Documents
- Response to Request for Production of Documents
- Request for Admissions
- Response to Request for Admissions
- Notice of Deposition
- Pretrial Conferences, Scheduling, Management
- Subpoena