What is the purpose of Rule 1 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure?

• A. To regulate pleadings and motions
• B. To secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding
• C. To govern discovery procedures
• D. To establish appellate standards

Answer: (B)

Rule 1 states the rules should be construed and administered to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding. That overarching goal guides how courts apply all the other rules, not as a step-by-step procedure in itself, but as the lens through which decisions are made. The emphasis on justness, speed, and cost-consciousness explains why many rules aim to prevent needless delays and unnecessary expense, encouraging efficient handling of cases. The option that says this broad purpose is the aim of the rules best captures why Rule 1 exists. In contrast, pleadings and motions are governed by specific provisions about form and timing, discovery procedures are laid out in the discovery rules, and appellate standards come from the rules governing appeals, not the civil procedure rules directing overall conduct.