Federal Rule Changes To Impact Timing Requirements, Indicative Rulings, Summary Judgments And Amending Of Pleadings

Many of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ("F.R.C.P.") will effectively change by the end of 2009, including provisions that impact timing requirements, indicative rulings, summary judgment and amending of pleadings. The Judicial Conference of the United States—through its Time-Computation Subcommittee and Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Rules Advisory Committees—issued proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which the U.S. Supreme Court approved on March 26, 2009, to be effective on December 1, 2009. In addition, the Civil Rules Advisory Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States has proposed recommendations to amend F.R.C.P. Rule 26 in 2010, with respect to discovery of expert witnesses and expanded work-product protections.