Litigation Lawyers in Des Moines

Residents of Des Moines, Washington who suffer legal wrongs are usually legally entitled to compensation for harm they incurred as a result. This compensation is usually obtained by filing a lawsuit.

If you wish to file a lawsuit, there are several things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Des Moines, Washington civil litigation attorney.

Once you have retained an attorney in Des Moines, Washington, he or she will be able to help you devise a strategy on how to proceed, which will hopefully maximize your chances of success in your lawsuit. Your lawyer can also provide you a rough idea of how much the lawsuit is likely to cost, taking into account court fees, expert witness fees, and other costs.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Des Moines, Washington

Consultation with your attorney: Before you file a lawsuit in a Des Moines, Washington court, you need to meet and confer with a local lawyer. You lawyer in Des Moines, Washington can advise you on whether or not your lawsuit has merit, and how possible it is to prevail.

Drafting The Complaint: In Des Moines, Washington, the initial step to filing a lawsuit, once you've actually decided to do so (in consultation with your attorney), is writing a complaint. A complaint is simply a list of facts that you allege against the defendant. A court must look at these allegations and decide if they add up to a legitimate cause of action, assuming they're true. If they do not add up to a cause of action, the case may be dismissed. The complaint also usually ask the court to provide specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: After you draft your complaint, and file it with the court, you have to let the defendant know that they're being sued. The law of Des Moines, Washington states that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of general fairness: if you were being sued, you'd want to be given time to find a lawyer and prepare your defense strategy, right? So, with that in mind, the law prefers that defendants be served personally, generally through the use of a paid process server.

Awaiting the Defendant's Response: Once a lawsuit has been filed, and the defendant has been served in Des Moines, Washington, the defendant has time to respond. They usually do so by drafting an answer to the complaint, in which they deny the plaintiff's allegations, or assert a legal defense. If the defendant fails to respond within a set period of time, they will be in default, and you may be able to get a "default judgment" against them, in which all of your allegations against the defendant are viewed as if the defendant admitted them, and you only need to prove that you've suffered losses that warrant the damages you're asking for.

How Can A Des Moines, Washington Tort Lawyer Help?

The basic outline above does not come close to covering all the specifics involved in filing a lawsuit in Des Moines, Washington.

Therefore, it's always a good idea to talk with a Des Moines, Washington litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.