Rule 81 Applicability in General

This rule explains when the standard rules of civil procedure apply in Northern Mariana Islands courts. In short, these rules cover all civil court cases unless another law or specific rule says something different applies instead. This means you can generally count on these procedures being used no matter what type of civil case you're involved in.

The rule also gets rid of two old legal tools called "scire facias" and "mandamus" writs. These were special court orders used in the past for specific situations, like forcing a government official to do their job or reviving an old legal judgment. You don't need to worry about these anymore. If you need the same kind of help these writs used to provide, you can still get it, but now you ask for it through a regular motion or lawsuit filed under the current rules.