No. They vary from state to state, and even from one state court to another. Federal courts use different procedures, as well. There are similarities between all of them that preserve all constitutional requirements, but one still needs to know the court rules where they intend to appear or practice.
The summons itself will indicate the amount of time you have to respond to it. Is this in federal court or state court? Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(a)(1)(A) specifies that a party has 20 days to file an answer after they are served with a complaint. However, your local rules may be slightly different from this (the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are the federal default). Usually, your state's Supreme Court website will have a link to the local rules. Just search "[name of state] Supreme Court" on your favorite search engine, and the website will likely come up first. If it is in state court, there should also be a link to the state court rules on the supreme court website as well. However, if it really does not specify on the summons itself, then there's nothing wrong with calling someone from the court to find out, especially if you are currently without representation. If you call the general number, they should be able to direct you to the appropriate person for help.
The municipal court is a local entity, typically established by a city or town government to handle cases involving violations of local ordinances and laws. It is not a state or federal entity.
yes
The Supreme Court of the United States has federal jurisdiction. The Supreme court can also be used as an appeals court for state and local charges.
Cases will be filed in federal court if the plaintiff and the tobacco company are from different states. However, if a plaintiff sues the local stores he/she bought from the case may proceed in state court. However, tobacco companies will remove to federal court under theories that federal warning laws preempt state claims. A federal judge then decides to keep the case in federal court or remand to state court.
Not if you follow all the local, state and federal rules
To initiate a lawsuit against a state in federal court, one must first ensure that the case falls under the jurisdiction of federal court, such as a violation of federal law or the U.S. Constitution. Then, the plaintiff must file a complaint in the appropriate federal court, following the court's rules and procedures. It is important to note that there are specific legal requirements and limitations when suing a state in federal court, so seeking legal advice from an attorney experienced in federal litigation is recommended.
In federal court, the answer is no. I'm not aware of a notarization requirement for state court complaints, but state court rules could require it. In Pennsylvania state courts, a complaint needs to be "verified" but this does not require that it be notarized.
The link below has the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (via Cornell University law school). There are separate rules for each state if your case is being heard in state court, but most states have rules that are pretty close to the Federal Rules. If you are planning a pro se action, your state's legal aid organizations and the state supreme court may have helpful information (including forms) on their websites.
In the Federal court system, courts should have some leeway to make local rules, because the volume of cases and the size of a district or circuit may dictate that different procedures be used to accommodate such differences. In addition, sometimes long standing state court customs have become so ingrained into the state court practice that it is actually beneficial for the federal court to provide some uniformity of practice between the two. Rules of procedure are there to make the procedure in courts efficient. Sometimes different rules in different situations can provide better efficiency than blindly following a single general rule.
It is a FEDERAL law (and is handled by a FEDERAL court), basically under the same rules everywhere. (Some Courts allow special definitions for things in the case, basically to conform to the custom of the area they generally hear cases in). You file in a Federal District Court, which may or may not have any relationship to your County or even State.
First, you have to figure out which court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of the complaint. If both state and federal courts have jurisdiction (as they often do) then you would consider which court system you prefer based on the court fees, procedural rules, propensities of the judges, etc.