Procedural law or adjective law comprises the rules by which a court hears and determines what happens in civil lawsuit, criminal or administrative [ The rules are designed to ensure a fair and consistent application of due process] (in the U.S.) or [[fundamental justice (in other common law countries) to all cases that come before a court. Substantive law, which refers to the actual claims and defenses whose validity is tested through the procedures of procedural law, is different from procedural law.