Law Offices of Sam Westergren
Probate and Legal Malpractice. Serving Corpus Christi Families since 1965
Litigation Newsletter
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. More...
 
Mental Health Courts
 
Specialized courts, called mental health courts, have been set up to deal with individuals entering the criminal justice system who have mental illness or a mental disability. Currently, about 30 states have mental health courts in selected jurisdictions. Juvenile mental health courts, handling delinquency cases involving mentally ill juveniles, are planned in some states. More...
 
Reviewability of Federal Administrative Agency Decisions
 
Federal administrative agencies make adjudicatory decisions in regulatory cases. Agency cases include Social Security benefit claims, Federal Communication Commission licensing matters, and Food and Drug Administration proceedings to enforce provisions of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. If the person or company affected by the decision is dissatisfied with the agency's ruling, the decision can be appealed to a court. This article discusses the requirements that must be met before an agency's decision can be appealed to the court.More...
 
The Courts and Community Relations
 
A 1999 national survey conducted by the National Center for States Courts in Williamsburg, Virginia, revealed that almost half of all American citizens thought the courts were out of touch with the surrounding community. This number increased to two-thirds among African-Americans who were surveyed. As a result, collaborative programs between the community and state courts are becoming more common. The goal is to foster the average citizen's understanding of the judiciary and to build public trust in the court system. More...
 
Appeal of a United States District Court Judgment
 
The party who loses in a civil lawsuit can file an appeal after a United States District Court, a federal trial court, enters a final judgment in the case. The notice of appeal must be filed with the district court clerk within 30 days after the judgment. The person filing the appeal is called the appellant, and the other party is called the appellee.More...
 
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