Jersey City, New Jersey Civil Procedures

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Litigation Lawyers in Jersey City

In Jersey City, New Jersey, "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.

Like all laws, the rules of civil procedure in Jersey City, New Jersey reflect specific values that society, through its elected representatives, wants to advocate. 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.

Jersey City, New Jersey'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 Jersey City, New Jersey Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Jersey City, New Jersey is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Jersey City, 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). Typically, 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: After the complaint has been filed in the Jersey City, New Jersey court of competent jurisdiction, the next important phase is the discovery process. In a civil lawsuit, there are not supposed to be any surprises (so the dramatic moments you see in TV trials are largely fiction). This predictability largely comes from the discovery process. Each side of the lawsuit has to disclose information relevant to the lawsuit to the other. This information can be acquired by sending the other side written questions, which must be answered under oath, demanding access to documents, and deposing witnesses.

Trial: It is truly quite rare for civil lawsuits in Jersey City, New Jersey to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Jersey City highly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. Nonetheless, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury determine the questions of law and fact, respectively, raised in the case. The jury then issues a verdict, based on the evidence presented to them.

How Can a Jersey City, New Jersey Lawyer Help?

If you're facing any substantial legal issue in Jersey City, New Jersey, you can be pretty much sure that you'll face at least a few procedural complications that can hold up the process.

It should go without saying that you should have a Jersey City, New Jersey attorney on hand to deal with any civil procedure issues that you're almost sure to face, if you're engaged in a lawsuit.

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Life in Jersey City

Jersey City is a place rich in culture, with something for everyone in the family to enjoy. Located between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay, Jersey City is situated right across from Lower Manhattan. Although Manhattan is known for wonderful attractions and high tourism, Jersey City is filled with historic neighborhoods, museums, shopping malls, and beautiful city parks.

For all those history-lovers out there, you can book a cruise to Ellis Island, visit Harsimus Cemetery, or tour the Underground Railroad and experience the footsteps of many escaped slaves. If shopping is your forte, visitors can shop till they drop! Jersey City is home to ten major shopping districts filled with large department stores, contemporary boutiques, and specialty stores. For those who love museums, Jersey City has many museums that highlight the city's history and art. However if visitors would just like to relax and soak in the beauty, Jersey City has many beautiful city parks. Two of the most famous parks are Liberty State Park and Leonard Gordon Park.

Alongside the beautiful parks is the city's beautiful waterfront port of entry. The waterfront port runs about 11 miles long and truly is a site not to miss! Many major corporations and industries have found a home along this beautiful waterfront. In fact, the Goldman Sachs building stands at 238 meters and is one of the 200 tallest buildings in the world. Goldman Sachs is not the only Fortune 500 Company to be located in Jersey City. Major corporations such as Chase Manhattan Bank, Charles Schwab, and Merill Lynch have also found a home in Jersey City.

To top it off, Jersey City has one of the most diverse populations in the United States. Known as a "Tapestry of Nations," the city is home to Jewish, Italian, Cuban, Filipino, Polish, Indian, Irish, Puerto Rican, Dominican, African, Arab, and Asian communities. Therefore, visitors will be introduced to many cultures and ethnicities when visiting this wonderful place. Such a population, rich with many ethnicities and cultures, is also rich with a variety of different professionals. There are many attorneys who practice in all areas of law in Jersey City. Not only are many major law firms located in Jersey City, but the city also has a number of small to medium sized law firms. Undoubtedly, any legal issue that you have can be resolved by the many competent attorneys who call Jersey City their home.

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