Federal Administrative Procedure Act

The Federal Administrative Procedure Act (FAPA) is a federal law that governs the procedures used by federal administrative agencies in adopting and enforcing their rules and regulations. There are more than 50 federal regulatory agencies. The purpose of FAPA is to ensure uniformity and openness in federal administrative procedures.

Statutes of Limitations and Statutes of Repose

Statutes of limitations are laws that limit the time a person has to file a lawsuit after an event occurs that gives that person a legal claim. The underlying reasons for statutes of limitations are: to ensure fairness to the the person being sued; to encourage the prompt prosecution of claims; to suppress stale and fraudulent claims; and to avoid the inconvenience caused by delay especially the difficulties of proof in older cases. Once the statute of limitations runs or expires, a person being sued can raise the defense of the statute of limitations.

Legal Ethics and Legal Malpractice

After successfully completing law school, a law school graduate is required to pass a state bar examination before he or she will be admitted to the practice of law in the state. After passing the bar examination, an attorney takes an oath of office. Once admitted to the bar of a state, an attorney's conduct is regulated by rules of professional conduct.

Racial Profiling and the Criminal Justice System

Racial profiling refers to the law enforcement practice of using race as a factor in deciding who is a suspicious person that should be investigated. Racial profiling is illegal.

Discretionary Review of a State Court Decision

Generally, a litigant can file an appeal of a state trial court's final decision as a matter of right. The appeal is filed with the intermediate appellate court of the state. There is a distinction between mandatory review by the court of appeals and discretionary review by the state's highest court. A litigant is not entitled to a second appeal as of right to the supreme court.