Fed. R. Civ. P.
Law & Legal abbreviation · Legal Citation
| Stands for | Federal Rules of Civil Procedure |
|---|---|
| Categories | Law & Legal |
Fed. R. Civ. P. stands for Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a legal citation abbreviation.
Rules governing civil lawsuits in US district courts, from pleadings and joinder through discovery, trial and judgment, cited in this form in briefs and opinions. Adopted by the Supreme Court under the Rules Enabling Act, they took effect in 1938 and merged law and equity into a single form of civil action.
Example: The motion to dismiss was brought under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim.
Usage notes
Practitioners say "Rule 12(b)(6)" or write "FRCP 12" informally, but briefs use "Fed. R. Civ. P." Amendments take effect on December 1 after approval by the Judicial Conference and the Supreme Court and a waiting period for Congress. Most states model their civil rules on them.
Related abbreviations
More legal citation abbreviations
- F.2d – Federal Reporter, Second Series
- F.3d – Federal Reporter, Third Series
- F.4th – Federal Reporter, Fourth Series
- F.R.D. – Federal Rules Decisions
- Fed. Cl. – Federal Claims Reporter
- Fed. R. App. P. – Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure
- Fed. R. Crim. P. – Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
- Fed. R. Evid. – Federal Rules of Evidence
- Fed. Reg. – Federal Register
- H.R. Rep. – House Report
- I.R.C. – Internal Revenue Code
- Id. – Idem (the same)
See all 87 legal citation abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.