Filing a Lawsuit in Augusta, Georgia

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Litigation Lawyers in Augusta

If you live in , Georgia, 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 an Augusta, Georgia attorney.

When you retain a civil litigation lawyer in Augusta, Georgia, 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 Augusta, Georgia

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

Drafting the complaint: In Augusta, Georgia, 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. Augusta, Georgia 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 Augusta, Georgia, 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 Augusta, Georgia Tort Lawyer Help?

Filing a lawsuit in an Augusta, Georgia court is a bit more complicated than the basic outline laid out above.

Therefore, it is critical that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Augusta, Georgia.

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Life in Augusta

Augusta, Georgia is a city consolidated with Richmond County, Georgia. This means that the government of the city and the county are one and the same. As of 2008, the Augusta-Richmond entity has a population of 195,000 people.

Augusta was founded in the colonial era, and was the second established town in what was, at the time, a British colony named Georgia.

Augusta, Georgia has recently seen an economic boom, thanks to a large concentration of businesses in the medical and biotech industries setting up shop there. It is home to the Medical College of Georgia, the state's only public medical school, and also offers a program in dentistry, graduate degrees in nursing, and others. This college attracts students from all over the country, increasing the local consumer base, and provides over 7,000 jobs.

Augusta is also home to Fort Gordon, an U.S. Army base that houses significant elements of the Army Signal Corps, and has about 30,000 occupants.

Needless to say, Augusta, Georgia lawyers need to be well-versed in several areas of law to stay competitive. The sheer diversity of industry and demographics in the area mean that there is almost certainly an Augusta, Georgia lawyer who is right for you.

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