O'Connor's Federal Rules: Civil Trials.

Small but mighty, O'Connor's Federal Rules admirably packs the basics of federal practice and procedure into one softbound volume. The book, lacking the depth, breadth, and detail of the well-known multivolume treatises, is hardly the last word on federal procedure. However, you would need a pickup truck to take Moore's or Wright & Miller to court. O'Connor's slides neatly Into the brief-case next to your trial notebook and laptop computer, and the book, is also available on CD-ROM.

This is not to suggest that the book is useful only in the courtroom. Extensive commentary covers each stage of litigation, with answers to the most frequently asked questions supported by rule, case, and statutory cites.

The well-organized discussion allows quick reference when one cannot remember with absolute certainty who signs the discovery response (attorney or client) and whether it needs to be signed under oath, the elements of a privilege, or the deadlines for service and filing of papers.

Although the commentary's focus is the federal rules, helpful sections on topics such as expert opinion, summary judgment standards, jurisdiction, and venue summarize the blackletter case law. The chapter on introducing evidence is only 10 pages. Yet, it includes the basics for quick reference, hitting issues such as laying a proper foundation, and key rules governing impeachment and rehabilitation of witnesses.

The brief discussion of final argument provides a good introduction for attorneys less experienced in trial, and a quick source of citations for more experienced counsel to use to support or oppose an objection.

In addition to the commentary, the book includes the full text of the federal rules of civil procedure, evidence, and appellate procedure, as well as Title 28 of the United States Code. One disappointment is that only excerpts of the advisory committee notes are included, and some of the key committee comments are excluded.

Each rule is accompanied by a short annotation, which is helpful in providing support for principal concepts. However, the annotations lack subject matter headings. For instance, the annotations to the hearsay rules include only a few cases, which are not organized according to the hearsay, exception to which they relate.

The reference part of the book also includes the Hague Convention on service abroad, a chart identifying how each U.S. district court has implemented mandatory disclosure rules, and a series of blank timetables that can be used to track deadlines, such as a pleading schedule and civil appeal calendar. Finally, the book is supported by a very detailed index that provides quick access to the rules and commentary.

This "7-Eleven" of practice manuals won't give you the firepower needed to write the winning brief on a complex procedural issue. It will however, help you resolve in seconds many of the nuts-and-bolts issues that often arise in federal litigation.