Litigation Lawyers in Colton

In Colton, California, "civil procedure" refers to the different processes and procedures that must be followed when conducting a civil lawsuit.

The civil procedure rules in Colton, California are designed around a few simple goals for the civil litigation system: efficiency, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and, most especially, fairness.

The rules of civil procedure in Colton, California are sometimes difficult. Because civil litigation is an inherently complicated process, the rules that govern how it proceeds can't be simple, either. They govern every step of the litigation process, from filing the initial complaint, all the way to the final appeals process.

Major Colton, California Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most significant part of filing a lawsuit in Colton, California is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Colton, California court that lays out the plaintiff's (the individual filing the suit) allegations against the defendant (the individual being sued), as well as the relief that the plaintiff is seeking from the court.

Answer: After the plaintiff files the complaint, the defendant has to act. While they have a few avenues at this stage of the game, most defendants elect to file an answer. The answer is the defendant's first direct response to the plaintiff's allegations. Occasionally, the answer contains a general denial, in which the defendant simply denies everything the plaintiff alleges. It might also contain a point-by-point addressing of every allegation the plaintiff makes, denying some, and admitting some.

Discovery: Once both sides have fired their opening volleys in the form of the complaint and answer, the next procedure in civil litigation in Colton, California is discovery. Under the civil procedure rules of most jurisdictions in the U.S., each side of a lawsuit is obligated by law to disclose relevant information to the other side. These disclosures come in the form of depositions, the production of documents, and answers to written questions submitted by opposing counsel.

Trial: It is really quite rare for civil lawsuits in Colton, California to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Colton highly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. Nonetheless, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury determine the questions of law and fact, respectively, raised in the case. The jury then issues a verdict, based on the evidence presented to them.

How Can a Colton, California Lawyer Help?

If you're facing a lawsuit in Colton, California whether as the plaintiff or defendant, you will have to interact with your jurisdiction's civil procedure rules.

Because the rules of civil procedure in Colton, California are complicated, it's smart to have the counsel of an accomplished attorney through every step of the process.