What Are The Steps In A Civil Law Case?

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When I was a kid, many of my friends wanted to be firefighters, teachers, and policemen when they grew up. Interestingly, I told everyone who was interested that I wanted to be a lawyer. I was fascinated with crime shows. While watching my favorite television programs as a child, I was captivated by actors who played the roles of tough, successful lawyers. No matter what they were facing at trial, they always discovered the truth in every case. While I majored in business instead of law, I still have an amazing appreciation for the work attorneys do today. On this blog, I hope you will discover the importance of lawyers in our society. Enjoy!

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What Are The Steps In A Civil Law Case?

15 March 2022
 Categories: , Blog

If you're thinking about suing someone, you need to know what steps you will have to take. That will let you know how to prepare and what you need to do to win your case.

Talk to a Lawyer

You've probably already tried to work things out with the other party, but once you start thinking you'll need to file a civil case, it's time to stop talking. Don't do anything else without talking to a lawyer.

When you're in a dispute, you may not have a full understanding of all of your legal rights and obligations. You may do or say something that can hurt your chances of winning or that could give the other party a reason to collect money from you.

Your lawyer will help you understand the proper legal steps you need to take and what you can and can't say.

Negotiate

Again, you might have tried to negotiate on your own, but this is when you show you mean business. Once you get a lawyer involved, the other party is more likely to take you seriously as they know you're going to follow through to get what you deserve.

You will either negotiate with your lawyer or let them do the talking. Your lawyer will explain why you're legally entitled to win. They also help you understand you might not get everything you want so you can know what kind of deal you should accept.

Discovery

Discovery is when you exchange evidence with the other side. Unlike in TV shows and movies, you actually don't want surprise evidence at trial. You also have a legal obligation to turn evidence over.

Discovery helps both sides better understand the case and prepare to respond to evidence at trial. In many cases, the information they learn during discovery leads to them settling when they wouldn't have before.

Trial

If you're not able to settle your case, you'll need to go to trial. Trials don't happen fast like they do on TV. It could take months or years to get in front of the jury.

You may also have to go to court hearings several times before your actual trial. These are your first chances to argue your case, make sure the judge lets in important evidence, and convince the other side to make a final offer to settle before they lose at trial.

To learn more about how to bring a civil law case to court, contact a local civil law attorney today.