Litigation Lawyers in Marion County

If you live in , Florida, 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 filing a lawsuit is a good option in seeking redress, you should not rush into this decision. A lawsuit is a time-consuming and expensive process. You should not make a final decision without speaking to a Marion County, Florida attorney.

Once you hire a Marion County, Florida 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 Marion County, Florida

Consultation With Your Attorney: Before filing any lawsuit in Marion County, Florida, you should speak with a local attorney. Your Marion County, Florida attorney will be able to advise you on the merits of your lawsuit, and your chances of success.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you decide that pursuing a lawsuit in Marion County, Florida civil court is worth your time and effort, you need to file a complaint. The complaint can set the tone, and frame the issues, for the rest of the litigation process, which can drag on for months, or even years (and decades, in some cases). This is because the complaint lays out all the allegations against the defendant. It also usually asks the court for specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you and your attorney have written a good complaint, and filed it with the court, it needs to be served on the defendant within a certain period of time. This is required under the law of Marion County, Florida to ensure that the defendant actually knows that he's being sued, and has time to find a lawyer and prepare a defense. Generally, the defendant should be served in person. However, when this isn't possible, service by mail is also acceptable in a few instances.

Await The Response: The defendant has a certain amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Marion County, Florida. 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. Typically, 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 set period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Marion County, Florida Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a basic picture of what is required to file a lawsuit in Marion County, Florida. 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 Marion County, Florida, you should not hesitate to speak with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.