Hackensack, New Jersey Civil Procedures

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In Hackensack, New Jersey, "civil procedure" is a broad term that refers to all of the statutes that control the process of civil litigation. Procedural law (such as civil procedure) is distinguished from substantive law, which covers the rights and obligations that the civil justice system is designed to protect.

Like all laws, the rules of civil procedure in Hackensack, New Jersey 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.

Hackensack, New Jersey's civil procedure rules can get pretty convoluted, however. They control every aspect of a civil action, from the filing of the complaint, to discovery, and all the way through trial and appeals.

Major Hackensack, New Jersey Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The first, and perhaps most important, part of filing a lawsuit in Hackensack, New Jersey is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Hackensack, New Jersey 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 simply a statement of what the plaintiff is asking the court to do to remedy the harm that the defendant allegedly caused.

Answer: Once the complaint is filed, the ball is in the defendant's court, so to speak. In the answer, the defendant has an opportunity to respond to all of the factual allegations made by the plaintiff, normally by denying them. The defendant might also raise affirmative defenses, which could prevent the defendant from being held liable. For example, 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 show that he acted in self-defense, he likely will not be held liable.

Discovery: The civil procedure rules in Hackensack, New Jersey were written with the purpose of, among other things, avoiding surprises. For that reason, everyone immersed in a lawsuit goes into trial with a pretty good idea of what evidence the other side has. This is largely because of the discovery process, during which the attorneys for both sides are required to disclose (with some exemptions) all information relevant to the trial which they have in their possession. These disclosures come in multiple forms, such as simply sending boxes of documents, deposing witnesses, or submitting written questions to the other side, which the recipient is obligated to answer under oath.

Trial: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in Hackensack, New Jersey, it is really extremely rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Hackensack is designed to encourage early settlement of cases, or dismissal of cases that don't have any legal or factual merit. However, 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 Hackensack, New Jersey Lawyer Help?

If you're facing a lawsuit in Hackensack, New Jersey whether as the plaintiff or defendant, you will have to deal with your jurisdiction's civil procedure rules.

Civil Procedure in Hackensack, New Jersey can be pretty convoluted. It's always a good idea to have a lawyer who can advise you on how best to deal with these civil procedure issues.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Hackensack

Hackensack is located in Bergen County, New Jersey. Its official name is New Barbadoes Township. In 1921, the name informally became Hackensack. It is located about twelve miles from Midtown Manhattan,, and about seven miles from the George Washington Bridge. It is home to around 43,000 people.

Some popular sites include Fairleigh Dickinson University, the New Jersey Naval Museum, the World War II submarine USS Ling display, the First Dutch Reformed Church, The Shops at Riverside (Riverside Square Mall), and Bergen Museum of Art Science.

Some famous residents include Debby Boone, Philip Carey, Samuel Cooper, Harold Dow, Jim Finn, Dave Fiore, Mike Fratello, David Grisman, Matt Herr, John Huyler, Dave Scott, Douglas Watt, and Teresa Weatherspoon.

Hackensack is also home to attorneys who have established their practices in their local city. Thus, the legal needs of residents and local businesses will always be taken care of.

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