BLAW 310 STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔exclusive federal - ✔✔federal crimes, bankruptcy, patents, copyrights, suits against
the US
✔✔exclusive state - ✔✔cases involving all matters not subject to federal juris ex.
divorce -adoption
✔✔venue - ✔✔proper court within proper jurisdiction- appropriate physical location for a
trial
✔✔Standing to sue - ✔✔The legal requirement that an individual must have a sufficient
stake in a controversy before he or she can bring a lawsuit.
✔✔U.S. Supreme Court - ✔✔the highest court of the United States; it sits at the top of
the federal court system (judges sit for life)
✔✔Us court of appeals - ✔✔no trial- just argument among lawyers and only looks at
record of the case (3 judge panel)
✔✔Us district court - ✔✔a trial court in the federal court system (1 judge)
✔✔writ of certiorari - ✔✔A writ from a higher court asking a lower court for the record of
a case. (very hard to get)
✔✔rule of four - ✔✔four of the nine justices must agree to hear the case
✔✔Louisiana Supreme Court - ✔✔Sit in New Orleans-writ of certiorari- elected for 10
years (7 judges)
✔✔Louisiana Court of Appeals - ✔✔elected for 8 years ( 9 Judges - 3 Judge panel)
✔✔Louisiana District Court - ✔✔Elected for 6 years (11 judges)
✔✔Why US Courts sit for Life? - ✔✔The judges don't want to fear for their job everytime
they get a very controversial case
✔✔Litigation - ✔✔The process of resolving a dispute through the court system.
✔✔Lawsuit/ court case - ✔✔the final decision on a dispute that no one ca decide on.
Resolving disputes peacefully
, ✔✔Burden of Proof - ✔✔the obligation to present evidence to support one's claim-
plaintiff bares this burden (very heavy)
✔✔pleadings - ✔✔all documents filed in the initial phase of the case
✔✔petition - ✔✔pleading made by the plaintiff alleging the wrong doing by the
defendant
✔✔Federal Pleadings - ✔✔notice pleadings- state who is the plaintiff & defendant,
explain why suing and state all facts
✔✔State system - ✔✔fact pleading
✔✔citation - ✔✔document informing the defendant that a leagal action has been
commenced against him/her- must appear in court on certain date
✔✔Service of process - ✔✔The delivery of the complaint and summons to a defendant.
✔✔answer - ✔✔the defendant's response to the complaint
✔✔default judegment - ✔✔judgement entered by a court against the defendant- who
failed to appear in court
✔✔Reconventional Demand - ✔✔claim made by the defendant in a civil lawsuit against
the plaintiff- defendant is suing the plaintiff
✔✔exceptions - ✔✔a pleading in which the defendant admits the facts as alleged and
asserts that the plaintiffs claim to state a cause of action has no basis in law
✔✔motion for judgement on pleadings - ✔✔motion by either party at the close of the
pleadings and decide solely on the pleadings and no trial in held- motion will only be
granted if no facts are in dispute
✔✔motion for summary judgement - ✔✔A motion requesting the court to enter a
judgement without proceeding to trial. The motion can be based on evidence outside
the pleadings and will be granted only if no facts are in dispute.
✔✔discovery - ✔✔Methods employed to bring facts out before the trial including but not
limited to depositions, interrogatories, request for documents, and physical and mental
examinations
✔✔Deposition - ✔✔the testimony of a witness made under oath but not in open court
✔✔interrogatories - ✔✔written questions signed under oath
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔exclusive federal - ✔✔federal crimes, bankruptcy, patents, copyrights, suits against
the US
✔✔exclusive state - ✔✔cases involving all matters not subject to federal juris ex.
divorce -adoption
✔✔venue - ✔✔proper court within proper jurisdiction- appropriate physical location for a
trial
✔✔Standing to sue - ✔✔The legal requirement that an individual must have a sufficient
stake in a controversy before he or she can bring a lawsuit.
✔✔U.S. Supreme Court - ✔✔the highest court of the United States; it sits at the top of
the federal court system (judges sit for life)
✔✔Us court of appeals - ✔✔no trial- just argument among lawyers and only looks at
record of the case (3 judge panel)
✔✔Us district court - ✔✔a trial court in the federal court system (1 judge)
✔✔writ of certiorari - ✔✔A writ from a higher court asking a lower court for the record of
a case. (very hard to get)
✔✔rule of four - ✔✔four of the nine justices must agree to hear the case
✔✔Louisiana Supreme Court - ✔✔Sit in New Orleans-writ of certiorari- elected for 10
years (7 judges)
✔✔Louisiana Court of Appeals - ✔✔elected for 8 years ( 9 Judges - 3 Judge panel)
✔✔Louisiana District Court - ✔✔Elected for 6 years (11 judges)
✔✔Why US Courts sit for Life? - ✔✔The judges don't want to fear for their job everytime
they get a very controversial case
✔✔Litigation - ✔✔The process of resolving a dispute through the court system.
✔✔Lawsuit/ court case - ✔✔the final decision on a dispute that no one ca decide on.
Resolving disputes peacefully
, ✔✔Burden of Proof - ✔✔the obligation to present evidence to support one's claim-
plaintiff bares this burden (very heavy)
✔✔pleadings - ✔✔all documents filed in the initial phase of the case
✔✔petition - ✔✔pleading made by the plaintiff alleging the wrong doing by the
defendant
✔✔Federal Pleadings - ✔✔notice pleadings- state who is the plaintiff & defendant,
explain why suing and state all facts
✔✔State system - ✔✔fact pleading
✔✔citation - ✔✔document informing the defendant that a leagal action has been
commenced against him/her- must appear in court on certain date
✔✔Service of process - ✔✔The delivery of the complaint and summons to a defendant.
✔✔answer - ✔✔the defendant's response to the complaint
✔✔default judegment - ✔✔judgement entered by a court against the defendant- who
failed to appear in court
✔✔Reconventional Demand - ✔✔claim made by the defendant in a civil lawsuit against
the plaintiff- defendant is suing the plaintiff
✔✔exceptions - ✔✔a pleading in which the defendant admits the facts as alleged and
asserts that the plaintiffs claim to state a cause of action has no basis in law
✔✔motion for judgement on pleadings - ✔✔motion by either party at the close of the
pleadings and decide solely on the pleadings and no trial in held- motion will only be
granted if no facts are in dispute
✔✔motion for summary judgement - ✔✔A motion requesting the court to enter a
judgement without proceeding to trial. The motion can be based on evidence outside
the pleadings and will be granted only if no facts are in dispute.
✔✔discovery - ✔✔Methods employed to bring facts out before the trial including but not
limited to depositions, interrogatories, request for documents, and physical and mental
examinations
✔✔Deposition - ✔✔the testimony of a witness made under oath but not in open court
✔✔interrogatories - ✔✔written questions signed under oath
