This pocket guide describes approaches and practical factors for federal judges to consider when applying unsettled questions of state law.

A joint product of the Federal Judicial Center and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, Fourth Edition supports judges in managing cases involving complex scientific and technical evidence by describing the basic tenets of key scientific fields and by providing examples of cases in which that evidence has been used.

This guide addresses the questions that may arise when a party to litigation in a U.S. court seeks to enforce a foreign judgment or to use a foreign judgment for preclusive effect in local litigation. Part II details the historical background of the applicable state law in recognition cases, and discusses the relationship between recognition and enforcement.

This manual provides a practical guide to steps that courts can take before and during litigation to manage nonprisoner pro se litigation more efficiently, steps that may also help pro se litigants better navigate the complexities of federal civil litigation. Part I discusses the concept of procedural fairness and the goal of increasing access to justice; it also addresses some of the potential ethical concerns about providing assistance to pro se litigants.