Legal Definitions - Federal Rules Enabling Act

The Federal Rules Enabling Act is a law passed in 1934 that gives the U.S. Supreme Court the power to create rules for how civil cases are handled in federal courts. This means that the Supreme Court can make rules that all federal courts must follow when dealing with civil cases.

For example, one of the rules created under the Federal Rules Enabling Act is Rule 83 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. This rule sets out the procedures that federal courts must follow when creating their own local rules. Another example is Rule 57 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, which sets out the procedures for how federal courts should handle criminal cases.

These rules help to ensure that all federal courts are following the same procedures when handling civil and criminal cases. This makes the legal system more consistent and fair for everyone involved.