Filing a Lawsuit in Barnstable, Massachusetts

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Litigation Lawyers in Barnstable

If you live in Barnstable, Massachusetts and think that you might be the victim of a legal wrong, you may decide that it's worth suing over, to recover compensation from the person who 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 Barnstable, Massachusetts attorney.

Your Barnstable, Massachusetts civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best options on how to proceed. The attorney will also discuss with you the fees for their services, and whether he or she can represent you on a contingency basis.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Barnstable, Massachusetts

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

Drafting The Complaint: In Barnstable, Massachusetts, the first step to filing a lawsuit, once you've actually decided to do so (in consultation with your attorney), is writing a complaint. A complaint is simply a list of facts that you allege against the defendant. A court must look at these allegations and determine if they add up to a valid cause of action, assuming they're true. If they do not add up to a cause of action, the case may be dismissed. The complaint also usually ask the court to provide specific relief, should it 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 Barnstable, Massachusetts 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 the Response: The defendant in Barnstable, Massachusetts has an opportunity to respond to the allegations against them. They have several options in how they respond to a lawsuit. They can move to dismiss the case (arguing that, even if everything the complaint alleges is true, they would still not be liable for anything), or they can file with the court, and serve upon the plaintiff an answer. An answer is a point-by-point disposal of every allegation against the defendant. The defendant can admit the allegations, deny them, or claim that they do not have enough information to admit or deny them (which basically operates as a denial). Usually, the defendant will admit the inconsequential allegations, so they don't have to be litigated (if the lawsuit is about a car accident involving the plaintiff and defendant, they'll probably go ahead and admit that the accident took place), but deny any allegation that could establish liability, if true (they'll deny responsibility for the car accident, for example). If the defendant does not respond by the deadline, they will have a default judgment entered against them, and automatically lose the case.

How Can A Barnstable, Massachusetts Tort Lawyer Help?

The basic outline above does not come close to covering all the details involved in filing a lawsuit in Barnstable, Massachusetts.

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 Barnstable, Massachusetts attorney.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Barnstable

Barnstable is often called the "Town of Barnstable." It is located in Barnstable County. In fact, it is the largest community on Cape Cod. Interestingly, Barnstable has seven villages within the city. The largest village is Hyannis, which is also the central business district. Another interesting fact about Barnstable is that in 2007, it was the All-American City Award winner.

Barnstabe has had some very famous residents. People such as Sam Barber, Joe Cronin, Judy Garland, Raymond Goulding, And Hallett, John Havlicek, Jack Kerouac, Dan LaCouture, Larry Page, and Eden White have once called Barnstable home.

Barnstable is also home to attorneys who have set up small law offices. These attorneys are competent to take on any legal inquiry and bring their clients justice.

All in all, Barnstable is a city that provides residents with small town charm and a wonderful quality of life!

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