Civil procedure includes the procedures and rules that govern civil (non-criminal) litigation in state and federal courts. Many states have rules of civil procedure written by the state supreme court, for example, and other states include their rules of procedure in state statutes enacted by the state legislature.
In New Jersey, civil procedure is governed by a combination of state statutes and rules established by the New Jersey Supreme Court. The New Jersey Court Rules are a set of procedural guidelines that dictate how civil litigation is to be conducted in the state courts. These rules cover various aspects of the legal process, including filing complaints, serving documents, conducting discovery, trial procedures, and the appeals process. The rules are designed to ensure fairness and efficiency in the legal system and are periodically updated to reflect changes in the law or legal practice. Additionally, federal courts in New Jersey follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure when handling civil cases at the federal level. These federal rules are designed to provide consistency and govern the process of civil litigation in federal courts across the United States.