A theoretical economic analysis that compares the influence of five attorney fee rules on litigants' financial incentives: the American rule, the English rule, statutory provisions allowing recovery by prevailing plaintiffs, contingent fee arrangements, and an offer-of-judgment rule.

An examination of the local rules federal district courts have developed in response to the 1983 amendment to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16, which calls for increased use of scheduling orders in managing caseloads. An appendix contains sample local rules from fifteen districts.

An examination of four statutes relating to fraud and civil liability: The Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

A survey of the current state of the law with respect to sanctions for violations of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, as reported in both the case law and the secondary literature.