Legislation passed two years ago that was designed to prevent class-action abuse has reduced the number of those typesof cases filed in state courts, but it also seems to have placed unforeseen strains on the federal court system because the law was drafted so poorly, experts say.
The nation's roughly 500 magistrates act as assistant judges in U.S. District Courts, handling requests for search warrants and other typesof surveillance.
While these accusations are still being sorted in traditional courts and the court of public opinion, it is clear that these typesof conflicts will likely continue as available water resources decline.
Until 1982, responsibility for developing this body of law was divided among 13 appeals courts, 12 of which had generalist judges who spent most of their time ruling on other typesof cases.