Filing a Lawsuit in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Litigation Lawyers in Chapel Hill

If you are in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and believe that some form of legal wrong has been committed against you, and determine that seeking legal redress will be worth the time and expense involved, you may wish to file a lawsuit.

If you wish to file a lawsuit, there are various things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Chapel Hill, North Carolina civil litigation attorney.

When you hire a civil litigation lawyer in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, they'll be able to give you some extremely useful advice, especially 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 rapidly. 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 Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, you should seek the advice and counsel of a reliable Chapel Hill, North Carolina attorney. He or she will be indispensable in helping you succeed in your lawsuit.

Drafting The Complaint: In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the initial 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 usually 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: When you have determined that you want to file a lawsuit in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and have drafted the complaint, your next important step is to file the complaint with the court, and serve it on the defendant. The defendant must be given at least several weeks' notice that they're being sued, and as much time to review the complaint. This is a matter of general fairness and due process, and allows the defendant to hire a lawyer and get to work on a defense. The law requires that the defendant be served in a few particular ways. The initial choice is to give it to them in person. This has to be done by a person who does not have any direct involvement in the lawsuit. If that isn't possible, the defendant can be served by giving the complaint to another adult member of their household; this is called substituted service.

Await The Response: The defendant has a given amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The defendant will likely 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. Normally, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for instance, 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 predetermined period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Chapel Hill, North Carolina Tort Lawyer Help?

Filing a lawsuit in a Chapel Hill, North Carolina court is a bit more intricate than the basic outline laid out above.

Therefore, it's always a good idea to talk with a Chapel Hill, North Carolina litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.

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Life in Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill is located in Orange County, North Carolina. Chapel Hill is well-known because it is home to the University of North Carolina. It is also known because it helps comprise the "Research Triangle," which includes Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh.

Interestingly, Chapel Hill is nicknamed "America's Foodiest Small Town" by Bon Appetit Magazine. Some popular restaurants are A Southern Season, Foster's Markeet, Mama's Dip's, Crook's Corner, Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, Caffee Driade, and The Lantern Restaurant. Many of these places have been recognized by Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, and the Food Network!

Chapel Hill is also home to many attorneys who help keep the legal force strong. This, in turn, helps residnets and local businesses because all their legal matters will be handled appropriately.

Some famous residents of Chapel Hill include Chris Stamey, Dean Smith, Jack Hogan, John Grisham, Hubert Davis, Ash Bowie, and K.A. Applegate.

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