Filing a Lawsuit in Grand Junction, Colorado

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Litigation Lawyers in Grand Junction

If you live in , Colorado, 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 think that you may want to file a lawsuit, you should not make this decision lightly, and there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account. Obviously, you should never go into a lawsuit without at least consulting a qualified Grand Junction, Colorado civil litigation attorney.

When you retain a civil litigation lawyer in Grand Junction, Colorado, they'll be able to give you some very useful advice, particularly in devising a strategy that maximizes your chances of winning your lawsuit. You'll probably also wonder how much this lawsuit is going to cost you, especially if you don't win. This largely depends on the attorney's fee structure. If the attorney charges an hourly rate, you will simply have to pay the lawyer for every hour they work. This can add up to a huge amount of money, very quickly. If they charge on a contingency basis, you do not have to pay any attorney's fees unless you win, and payment comes in the form of the percentage of the judgment. However, if you lose, you might still be responsible for costs, such as court fees, which are incurred no matter what happens to the case.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Grand Junction, Colorado

Consultation with your attorney: Before you file a lawsuit in a Grand Junction, Colorado court, you need to meet and confer with a local lawyer. You lawyer in Grand Junction, Colorado can advise you on whether or not your lawsuit has merit, and how likely it is to succeed.

Drafting The Complaint: In Grand Junction, Colorado, the first step in filing a lawsuit is drafting a complaint. The complaint is a document that lays out all of your allegations against the person you're suing. It generally provides necessary background information, details the injuries you suffered, and why the person you're suing is to blame for those injuries. It also usually contains a specific "prayer" (request) for relief - a brief statement telling the court what the plaintiff is asking of it, such as monetary damages, and injunction, or other relief.

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 Grand Junction, Colorado 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, generally through the use of a paid process server.

Await Defendant's Response: When you have served the defendant with the complaint in Grand Junction, Colorado, the defendant has time to respond. The most common response is known as an "answer," in which they specifically address the factual allegations you've made against them, usually by denying most of the allegations. They might also move to dismiss the case if they can argue that the complaint is legally flawed. A judge then has to rule on this motion. If the defendant doesn't respond within a certain period of time, they are said to have "defaulted." This allows the court to enter a default judgment, in which the plaintiff essentially automatically wins the lawsuit. Once this happens, the defendant, if they're ever located, can be served with the judgment, and will have very little power to challenge the merits of your case.

How Can A Grand Junction, Colorado Tort Lawyer Help?

Filing a lawsuit in a Grand Junction, Colorado court is a bit more complicated than the basic outline laid out above.

If you have suffered a legal wrong in and decide to sue the person who you believed wronged you, you should consult with a qualified Grand Junction, Colorado attorney.

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Life in Grand Junction

Grand Junction, Colorado is a home-rule municipality, and the county seat of Mesa County, Colorado. According to a Census estimate from 2009, Grand Junction has a population of about 59,000 people. The city is located on the Colorado river, near where it receives the Gunnison River, hence the name "Grand Junction." Modernly, the city serves as an extremely important hub for commerce and transportation in its region. Grand Junction also grew rapidly in the 1970s and 80s, thanks to large deposits of oil shale. This was when technologies used to extract oil from shale became widely available. However, extracting oil from shale is still more expensive than simply drilling for it, and when oil prices began to decline, it ceased to be economically viable. This led to significant economic hardship for the region. In recent years, however, the economy of Grand Junction, Colorado has diversified and stabilized, eliminating the risks that arise when an economy becomes dependent on a single industry. It is a vibrant center for many industries, including healthcare, agriculture, livestock, and tourism. Grand Junction is near a major mountain resort, and it has become a popular destination for wealthy travelers. If you live in Grand Junction, and are facing any legal issue, whether it involves starting a business, adopting a child, taking out a mortgage, or writing a will, the chances that you'll be able to find a good Grand Junction, Colorado lawyer are excellent.

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