Pawlowski & Reens, PLC - Untitled 1

State Administrative Law

State legislatures have passed laws setting up various state administrative agencies. Some examples of state administrative agencies include public utilities commissions, worker's compensation bureaus, motor vehicle bureaus, and natural resources...

Special Federal Courts

The federal court system is made up of federal district courts (trial level courts), courts of appeals (appellate level courts), and the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition, the federal court system has special courts that hear...

Judicial Precedent

Doctrine of stare decisis

The doctrine of stare decisis (which means "stand by what has been decided") is the legal principle underlying judicial precedent. When a court lays down a principle of law as applying to a...

Housing Courts

Housing courts are specialized courts that handle landlord-tenant cases. The New York City Housing Court handles only residential landlord-tenant cases; another court division handles commercial landlord-tenant cases. Housing courts in Minnesota...

Innovations in Jury Trials

States have implemented various innovative procedures to assist jurors during trials. The changes are aimed at improving juror understanding of the evidence and the court proceedings. Jurors are permitted to take notes during the trial in some...