Litigation Lawyers in Salt Lake County

If you are a resident of Salt Lake County, Utah and believe that somebody has committed a legal wrong against you, and have decided that the effort and expense involved in seeking compensation is worth it, you may consider filing a lawsuit.

If you are contemplating filing a lawsuit, you should know that there are many factors that need to be considered before doing so. You should definitely retain a brilliant attorney from Salt Lake County, Utah before you proceed.

Once you retain a Salt Lake County, Utah litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Additionally, your lawyer can inform you on what a lawsuit is likely to cost, both in time and money. Obviously, your lawyer has some control over what it will cost you, based on their fees, and whether they bill an hourly rate, or charge on a contingency rate.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Salt Lake County, Utah

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in Salt Lake County, Utah, you should seek the advice and counsel of a brilliant Salt Lake County, Utah attorney. He or she will be indispensable in helping you succeed in your lawsuit.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you decide that pursuing a lawsuit in Salt Lake County, Utah civil court is worth your time and effort, you need to file a complaint. The complaint can set the tone, and frame the issues, for the rest of the litigation process, which can drag on for months, or even years (and decades, in some cases). This is because the complaint lays out all the allegations against the defendant. It also normally asks the court for specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you, or your lawyer, have drafted a complaint, the defendant must be served with it, so they have notice that they're being sued, and are given time to prepare a defense. Salt Lake County, Utah has certain rules governing how a complaint must be served, for the service to be valid. Personal service (having someone give the documents directly to the defendant) is preferred. However, some courts will also accept service by mail in limited circumstances, or service upon an adult member of the defendant's household.

Await The Response: The defendant has a specific amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Salt Lake County, Utah. The defendant will probably 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. Usually, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for example, 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 specific period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Salt Lake County, Utah Tort Lawyer Help?

As you can see, it can be a complex and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Salt Lake County, Utah, and it is, in fact, much more complex than the basic outline you just read.

Therefore, it is crucial that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Salt Lake County, Utah.