Litigation Lawyers in Haleyville

If you live in , Alabama, and believe that you have suffered some type of legal wrong, you may wish to file a lawsuit against the person who allegedly wronged you.

If you're considering filing a lawsuit, there are numerous things you need to consider, and it is not a decision to be made lightly. You should not file a lawsuit without seeking the advice of a Haleyville, Alabama civil litigation attorney first.

Once you hire a Haleyville, Alabama litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Furthermore, your lawyer can inform you on what a lawsuit is likely to cost, both in time and money. Obviously, your lawyer has some control over what it will cost you, based on their fees, and whether they bill an hourly rate, or charge on a contingency rate.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Haleyville, Alabama

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Haleyville, Alabama, you should speak with a good local attorney in Haleyville, Alabama. Your legal counsel can make sure you have the best possible chance of winning your case, and help you decide if you should file your lawsuit in the first place.

Drafting the complaint: In Haleyville, Alabama, once you have decided to file a lawsuit, the first thing you usually have to do is draft a complaint. The complaint is a document that contains all of the allegations you're making against the defendant (the person whom you are suing). It usually must allege all of the facts necessary to constitute a cause of action, though in some systems, very few facts are strictly required to be alleged. It also typically has, at the end, a "prayer" (request) for relief. This final section tells the court what type of relief the plaintiff wants, should the court rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you have drafted your complaint, you need to serve the defendant with it, and file it with the court. Haleyville, Alabama requires that lawsuits be served on defendants in a certain way. This is to ensure that the defendant has a good deal of notice that they're being sued, giving them time to find an attorney, and work on how they're going to defend themselves. It is strongly preferred to serve defendants in person (with a disinterested third party delivering the papers to the defendant). Sometimes, however, the defendant cannot be found, or is trying to avoid service, they can be served by mail with court approval.

Await Defendant's Response: In Haleyville, Alabama, the law gives civil defendants a fairly long period of time (a month or two usually) to respond to a lawsuit against them. The most common response is either an answer (where they address the factual allegations against them, usually denying most or all of the allegations) or a motion to dismiss (where the contend that, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, those facts would not establish liability). If the defendant does nothing, and fails to respond, they run the risk of having a default judgment entered against them. This usually means that the court automatically rules against them, treating the plaintiff as if they won the lawsuit. This gives the plaintiff a judgment against the defendant, which they can seek to collect using all legal means.

How Can A Haleyville, Alabama Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a basic picture of what is required to file a lawsuit in Haleyville, Alabama. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.

Therefore, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Haleyville, Alabama, you should not hesitate to speak with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.