Preface

• Author: Pamela Everett Nollkamper
• Pages: 19-20

Preface

If you have experienced the frustration of having documents returned by the court for non-

compliance with local rules or filing requirements, then you know the importance of having

the most current court rules and requirements at hand. LEGAL SECRETARY FEDERAL LITIGATION

was designed to meet your needs.

LEGAL SECRETARY FEDERAL LITIGATION provides fast access to names and telephone numbers

of judges, clerks and deputies, addresses of courts, and filing requirements, which will save

hours of staff time and allow for more effective management of federal cases. We have reor-

ganized the book to provide easier access to vital information. In addition, we have expanded

the procedures for the district courts, appellate courts, the Supreme Court, and special courts.

The book is separated into eight chapters, as follows:

• Chapter One: Overview of the Federal Court System

• Chapter Two: Federal Litigation Procedure

• Chapter Three: District Court Directory and Filing Requirements

• Chapter Four: Appellate Court Procedure

• Chapter Five: Appellate Court Directory and Filing Instructions

• Chapter Six: Supreme Court Directory and Procedures

• Chapter Seven: Special Courts Directory and Procedures

• Chapter Eight: Directory of Federal Agencies

Consistent with the technological information age, the courts are expanding their services

by availing themselves to technology. Advances in technology are being implemented in the

courts, which gives us faster and better access to information. These advances also save the

courts’ money and allows court staff to better manage complex cases. CM/ECF is currently

being expanded to offer digital audio recordings of hearings online. Currently, many district

courts are expanding to provide digital audio recordings on the Internet at significant cost sav-

ings. When all courts offer digital audio recordings online, all of a case’s records will be avail-

able online. In addition, some courts will post videos of civil courtroom proceedings online.

FDsys is the Government Printing Office’s official system for free access online informa-

tion from all three branches of the Federal Government. The information on FDsys is current

and updated daily. Learn more about FDsys at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsysinfo/aboutfdsys.htm.

In addition to FDsys, opinions can be accessed free of charge from PACER. Some courts also

post opinions on their court websites, which can be accessed free of charge.

Some courts of appeals have added Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds for both opinions

and audio recordings of oral arguments to their websites. Most district courts offer RSS feeds.

Updated information from the RSS feed is automatically downloaded to a user’s computer and

can be viewed in Internet Explorer or other browsers. It is used to disseminate opinions and

court information. In addition, the Eighth Circuit includes podcasts and oral arguments in MP3

format. Courts who do not use the RSS feeds offer other services, such as audio recordings of

oral arguments from their websites.

Effective July 1, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court amended its procedural rules. Those

amendments have been incorporated into Chapter 6. The Supreme Court’s clerk, William K.

Suter, announced his retirement effective August 30, 2013, after 25 years of service. Scott

Harris is the new Clerk of the Supreme Court.

If you have a suggestion, or if a change has occurred since the publication of this revision,

we would appreciate hearing from you.

Pamela Everett Nollkamper