MD Civ Pro Flashcards
Waive JDX?
Subject matter: no. Personal: yes if D doesn’t raise/submits to JDX of court
Circuit Ct JDX
full equity JDX over all criminal and civil matters - general JDX cts. Also appeals from the District Ct in their county (notice w.in 30 days)
District Ct JDX
Exclusive: small claims actions under $5k as determined by aggregate value of claims. Also K and tort where damages less than $30k
Orphans’ Ct JDX
probate
Transfer Circuit to District Court IF:
- parties consent 2. waive jury trial 3. make amendments to comply with DC JDX. NOTE that if there’s a jury right and the parties are in DC, defendant can demand change to CC (OJO w/in 30 days of service of last pleading)
Personal JDX: What authority
Due process clause: notice and opportunity to be heard
Personal JDX: General test
JDX must have such minimum contacts with parties or property such that would not offend traditional notions of fair play or substantial justice
Personal JDX: In state defendant
- domicile 2. personal delivery of summons 3. service on a resident agent -> gives GENERAL JDX for any cause of action
Personal JDX: Domiciled
person’s intent by objective factors such as where lives, votes, receives mail, then presumption domiciled until abandoned. for corp: organized under MD law or principle place of business -> GENERAL
Personal JDX: Personal delivery
physically deliver within the state: tag JDX -> GENERAL. EXCEPT in state 1. only to testify 2. passing through to testify 3. fraudulently got them into the state
Personal JDX: Resident Agent
Foreign corporation w. resident agent to accept service + at least 1 of criteria in Long Arm Statute -> GENERAL.
Personal JDX: OOS D and Minimum contacts
D purposefully availed self of privilege of conducting activities w/in the state. GENERAL -> contacts must be continuous and systematic, doing business intentionally. SPECIFIC -> 1. extent of purposeful availment 2. whether c/a arises out of those activities 3. whether constitutionally reasonable. OJO: personal availment more than mere foreseeability, must create substantial connection
Personal JDX: Long Arm
- child support/alimony OR 2. paternity proceeding PLUS minimum contacts. 1. transacts business or performs any work 2. causes tortious injury in state 3. interest in, uses or possesses real property in state. In general to the limits of Const.
In rem JDX
Need 1. presence of res 2. adequate notice to persons w. interest
Venue
Generally where person 1. resides 2. carries on regular business 3. is employed 4. habitually engages in vocation 5. corp maintains principal offices. Also 6. where tort action occurred. Can be waived -> MUST raise in MTD before answer.
Venue: Where c/a arises
Tort: where all elements satisfied - where accident happened. K: if place of payment specified, there. If not specified, where creditor resides or has place of business.
Motion to change venue
grant if 1. change to another place where venue proper 2. convenience for parties/witness 3. if party can’t get fair and impartial trial
Service of Process: What included
complaint, info report
Service of Process: How
to the person, at their dwelling place with resident of suitable age, certified mail OR if by proof of affidavit that good faith efforts failed, court may order other means deemed appropriate and reasonably calculated
Service of Process: By Whom
sheriff, other competent person 18+ yrs (including a lawyer), NOT a party
Service of Process: To whom
- Individual or authorized agent 2. disabled individual AND parent/guardian 3. corporation’s resident agent, prez, sec, treas OR if good faith efforts fail then manager, director, VP, asst sec/treas or other authorized
Service of Process: Refusal
can’t complain of insufficient process
Joinder: Necessary
MUST IF: 1. complete relief cant be granted 2. would a. impair/impede person’s ability to protect claimed interest or b. leave parties subject to substantial risk of incurring multiple or inconsistent obligations -> raise in MTD, if unavailable court determines whether to proceed or dismiss w/o prejudice
Joinder: Permissive
MAY IF 1. right to relief out of same transaction/occurrence or 2. if any Q of fact or law in common
Intervention: as of right
MUST IF: 1. they have unconditional right or 2. person claims interest and is so situated that action will impair or impede their ability to protect that interest and not adequately represented
Intervention: permissive
MAY IF: 1. claim or defense has Q of law/fact in common 2. won’t unduly delay/prejudice the adjudication
Interpleader
Pure: disinterested person has property w. conflicting claims, asks court to join all and tenders property. In the nature of: person not disinterested and contests obligation to pay but seeks ct intervention if has to
Class Actions: (a) requirements
- numerosity 2. common Qs of law or fact 3. typicality of claims/defenses of named reps 4. reps will fairly and adequately rep the class
Class Actions: (b) types
- would create risk of a. inconsistent adjudications that would create incompatible standards for D (e.g. dif procedures) b. would be dispositive of or substantially impair/impede interests of nonparty members (eg limited fund) 2. D actions on grounds generally applicable to the class such that injunctive relief appropriate 3. Qs of law or fact predominate over any individually affecting members
Computational rules for deadlines
IF more than seven days -> Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays counted. IF less than 7 days -> not counted
Deadlines: if service by mail
3 extra days
Deadlines: to file answer
30 days from being served
Contents of answer
- any permissive defenses 2. any applicable neg/affirmative defenses 3. answers to averments in complaint (otherwise deemed admitted) OJO Mandatory defenses MUST be made in MTD before answer OJO in Dist Ct it’s a notice of intention to defend w/in 15 days of complaint, demand jury trial w/in 10 days of that.
Counter v. Cross Claim
- across v. within the “v” 2. regardless of whether arises from same transaction v. must at least relate to property subject to original action. Time for filing both 30 days from answer.