Wilmington, North Carolina Civil Procedures

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Litigation Lawyers in Wilmington

In Wilmington, North Carolina, "civil procedure" is a broad term that refers to all of the laws that regulate the process of civil litigation. Procedural law (such as civil procedure) is distinguished from substantive law, which regulates the rights and obligations that the civil justice system is designed to safeguard.

In Wilmington, North Carolina, the civil procedure rules are meant to ensure that the civil litigation system is as efficient, accessible, fair, and low-cost as possible.

Wilmington, North Carolina's civil procedure rules can get pretty confusing, however. They regulate every aspect of a civil action, from the filing of the complaint, to discovery, and all the way through trial and appeals.

Major Wilmington, North Carolina Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: In Wilmington, North Carolina the initial step in suing somebody (after speaking with a lawyer to determine if you have a case) is typically filing a complaint. The complaint is also one of the most significant documents in the civil litigation process. By laying out the wrongs that the plaintiff alleges the defendant has committed, as well as the remedies that the plaintiff wants the court to provide, it can set the tone for the entire rest of the case.

Answer: Once the complaint is filed, the ball is in the defendant's court, so to speak. In the answer, the defendant has an chance to respond to all of the factual allegations made by the plaintiff, typically by denying them. The defendant might also raise affirmative defenses, which could keep the defendant from being held liable. For instance, if the defendant is accused of battery, and he did, in fact, batter the plaintiff, he might admit to that fact, but claim that the plaintiff was the aggressor, and he acted purely in self-defense. If he can establish that he acted in self-defense, he likely will not be held liable.

Discovery: Once the complaint and answer have been filed in a Wilmington, North Carolina 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: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in Wilmington, North Carolina, it is truly very rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Wilmington is designed to encourage early settlement of cases, or dismissal of cases that don't have any legal or factual merit. Nonetheless, in the rare cases when the case is not dismissed, and the parties can't reach a settlement, the matter will go to trial. A trial is the most visible aspect of civil litigation, and it is the stage when all of the legal and factual questions raised by both parties are resolved by a judge and jury, respectively.

How Can a Wilmington, North Carolina Lawyer Help?

If you're suing anyone, or are being sued, in Wilmington, North Carolina, dealing with issues of civil procedure is going to be a fact of life for quite some time.

The rules of civil procedure in Wilmington, North Carolina are not always simple or intuitive. With that in mind, it's very important to have a reliable attorney on your side, to help you through the process.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Wilmington

Wilmington is in New Hanover County, North Carolina. It is the eighth most populated city in the state, with a population of 362,315 people. It was named after Spencer Compton, the Prime Minister under King George II. Also, in 2003 the city was recognized as "A Coast Guard City" by the United States Congress.

Some popular attractions are Airlie Gardens, Cape Fear Serpentarium, North Carolina Aquarium, Screen Gems Studios, USS North Carolina Battleship Museum, Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, and Fourth Friday Gallery Nights.

Top employers of the city include Corning, Verizon Wireless, General Electric, and Pharmaceutical Product Development.

Wilmington is also home to many law firms and law offices that train excellent attorneys to handle any and every legal inquiry.

Famous residents include Sophia Bush, Chelsea Cooley, Alge Crumpler, Roman Gabriel, Joseph Gallison, Ed Hinton, Jana Kramer, James Lafferty, and Trot Nixon.

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