Bellevue, Washington Civil Procedures

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Litigation Lawyers in Bellevue

In Bellevue, Washington, civil procedure is clearly what it sounds like: it refers to the rules that govern how civil litigation is conducted.

The rules of civil procedure in Bellevue, Washington are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, cost-effective, simple, and fair as possible.

In Bellevue, Washington, civil litigation is typically extremely convoluted. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that the rules of civil procedure can also be fairly difficult. After all, they govern everything from the first document filed by the plaintiff, to the last ruling issued by an appeals court.

Major Bellevue, Washington Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The first, and perhaps most important, part of filing a lawsuit in Bellevue, Washington is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Bellevue, Washington 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: The answer is a document filed by the defendant, in response to a complaint. The answer normally contains a few things: usually, it denies most of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If it does not deny the factual assertions in the complaint, it will normally raise legal defenses, known as affirmative defenses, arguing that even if everything the plaintiff alleges is true, the defendant should not be held liable, because of extenuating circumstances.

Discovery: After the complaint has been filed in the Bellevue, Washington court of competent jurisdiction, the next major 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 received by sending the other side written questions, which must be answered under oath, demanding access to documents, and deposing witnesses.

Trial: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in Bellevue, Washington, it is really extremely rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Bellevue 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 Bellevue, Washington Lawyer Help?

If you are facing a legal issue of any kind in Bellevue, Washington, you are going to face civil procedure issues.

It should go without saying that you should have a Bellevue, Washington attorney on hand to deal with any civil procedure issues that you're almost certain to face, if you're immersed in a lawsuit.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Bellevue

Bellevue is located in King County, Washington. It is near Lake Washington and Seattle. Per the 2010 census, it has a population of approximately 122,363 people. The city is well-recognized now because in 2008, CNNMoney ranked it as one of the best places to live and launch a business. Recently, it was ranked fourth as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The city's nickname is "beautiful view."

Popular sites include the Bellevue Arts Museum, the Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art, KidsQuest Children's Museum, and Meydenbauer Center.

Bellevue is also home to many practicing attorneys who have established their practices via small firms or local law offices. Thus, residents have access to competent attorneys who focus on providing personalized, as well as excellent, legal services.

Famous residents include Ann Wilson, Megan Hilty, William S. Ayer, Jeff Ulbrich, Deon Butler, Martin Harrison, Michael Brantley, Aaron Curry, and Tim Lincecum.

Overall, this is a wonderful city to visit or call home!

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