Silver Spring, Maryland Civil Procedures

Find the right Litigation attorney in Silver Spring, MD

  • /10
  • Client Overall
    Satisfaction Rate*
*TrustPilot score as of 010118

Litigation Lawyers in Silver Spring

"Civil procedure" refers to the wide variety of rules that regulate the process of civil litigation in Silver Spring, Maryland. It does not deal with the substantive rights that the litigation system is meant to safeguard, just the process by which it protects them.

Like all laws, the rules of civil procedure in Silver Spring, Maryland reflect particular values that society, through its elected representatives, wants to encourage. So, the rules of civil procedure have the stated goal of ensuring that the justice system is fair, cost effective, efficient, and accessible to everyone who has a legitimate legal grievance.

Civil litigation, however, is inherently intricate. So, there is no getting around the fact that the civil procedure rules in Silver Spring, Maryland are also going to be somewhat difficult and obtuse (or at least parts of them are). Remember, these rules govern every single thing that happens in a civil lawsuit, from the first complaint, to the last appeal.

Major Silver Spring, Maryland Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Silver Spring, Maryland is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Silver Spring, Maryland that's responsible for handling civil trials. It lists everything that the plaintiff (the person who is suing) alleges against the defendant (the person the plaintiff is suing). Normally, but not always, the end of the complaint will contain a "prayer for relief." The prayer for relief is just a statement of what the plaintiff is asking the court to do to remedy the harm that the defendant allegedly caused.

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 the complaint and answer have been filed in a Silver Spring, Maryland court, the next major civil procedure issue comes up. Discovery is the procedure in which both sides of the lawsuit are obligated to disclose obligated evidence to one another. The lawyers for each side can submit written questions, which the other party is required to answer under oath, unless the information is privileged. Each side can also request any relevant documents, physical evidence, and can conduct depositions of witnesses and parties to the lawsuit.

Trial: It's quite rare for lawsuits in Silver Spring, Maryland to go to trial. Silver Spring's civil procedure rules really discourage trials, and rather have designed the system so that it's almost always more cost-effective to settle out of court. Nonetheless, if this is not possible, the matter will go to trial, where a judge and/or jury will decide the factual questions, and then award the appropriate relief (if any) to the prevailing party.

How Can a Silver Spring, Maryland Lawyer Help?

If you are dealing with a lawsuit in Silver Spring, Maryland, it's almost given that you will have to deal with issues regarding civil procedure.

It should go without saying that you should have a Silver Spring, Maryland attorney on hand to deal with any civil procedure issues that you're almost sure to face, if you're immersed in a lawsuit.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Silver Spring

Silver Spring is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. It has a population of around 71,452 per the 2010 census. It is Maryland's fourth most populated city after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.

Downtown Silver Spring is known as a major business hub. Many small businesses have located in downtown. These business include retail, services and the legal industry. Two of the largest employers include Choice Hotels and Discovery Communications. To support all the small businesses and local residents, many attorneys have established small firms and law offices to tend to any and every legal need.

Popular attractions include the American Film Institute Silver Theatre and Culture Center, the Silver Spring Jazz Festival, and the Gandhi Brigade media project.

All in all, Silver Spring is a loving town with both a business-savvy and community-like buzz!

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Howard B.
Howard B.

Business - Litigation

Rye Brook, NY

Mark B.
Mark B.

Business - Litigation

Roseland, NJ

David A.
David A.

Business - Litigation

Walnut Creek, CA