Litigation Lawyers in Hokes Bluff

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 many 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 Hokes Bluff, Alabama civil litigation attorney first.

Once you contact a Hokes Bluff, Alabama litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Moreover, 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 Hokes Bluff, Alabama

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Hokes Bluff, Alabama, you should speak with a knowledgeable local attorney in Hokes Bluff, 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 Hokes Bluff, Alabama, once you have decided to file a lawsuit, the first thing you typically 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 typically 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 normally 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: After you draft your complaint, and file it with the court, you have to let the defendant know that they're being sued. The law of Hokes Bluff, Alabama requires that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of basic fairness: if you were being sued, you'd want to be given time to find a lawyer and prepare your defense strategy, right? So, with that in mind, the law prefers that defendants be served personally, usually through the use of a paid process server.

Await The Response: The defendant has a given amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Hokes Bluff, Alabama. The defendant will probably respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Normally, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for example, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a predetermined period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Hokes Bluff, Alabama Tort Lawyer Help?

As you can see, it can be an intricate and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Hokes Bluff, Alabama, and it is, in fact, much more intricate than the basic outline you just read.

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