For courses in Civil Litigation, The Judicial System, and Legal Research and Writing. Unique in approach, this introduction to the litigation process prepares paralegals to understand and apply all the procedures necessary in an average civil lawsuit -- showing them exactly what to look for and what steps to take when they open a litigation file at any stage. Unlike other texts which address only Federal law litigation procedures (which account for only about 20% of the paralegal jobs that are available), this text addresses civil litigation procedures in five specific states -- Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island -- and is designed to be used in conjunction with each state"s court rules. Very specific and practical, it starts at the beginning and takes students through the entire process -- covering all the relevant court Rules and Statutes involved.