Filing a Lawsuit in Federal Way, Washington

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Litigation Lawyers in Federal Way

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

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

Once you have hired an attorney in Federal Way, 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 give 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 Federal Way, Washington

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

Drafting The Complaint: In Federal Way, Washington, the first 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 determine if they add up to a valid 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 normally ask the court to provide specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving the Defendant: When you have decided that you want to file a lawsuit in Federal Way, Washington, and have drafted the complaint, your next major step is to file the complaint with the court, and serve it on the defendant. The defendant must be given at least several weeks' notice that they're being sued, and as much time to review the complaint. This is a matter of basic fairness and due process, and allows the defendant to hire a lawyer and get to work on a defense. The law requires that the defendant be served in a few certain ways. The first choice is to give it to them in person. This has to be done by a person who does not have any direct involvement in the lawsuit. If that isn't possible, the defendant can be served by giving the complaint to another adult member of their household; this is called substituted service.

Await Defendant's Response: When you have served the defendant with the complaint in Federal Way, Washington, the defendant has time to respond. The most frequent response is known as an "answer," in which they specifically address the factual allegations you've made against them, normally by denying most of the allegations. They might also move to dismiss the case if they can argue that the complaint is legally flawed. A judge then has to rule on this motion. If the defendant doesn't respond within a specific period of time, they are said to have "defaulted." This allows the court to enter a default judgment, in which the plaintiff essentially automatically wins the lawsuit. Once this happens, the defendant, if they're ever located, can be served with the judgment, and will have very little power to challenge the merits of your case.

How Can A Federal Way, Washington Tort Lawyer Help?

Filing a lawsuit in a Federal Way, Washington court is a bit more complex than the basic outline laid out above.

You should seek the advice of a reliable litigation attorney if you are planning on filing a lawsuit against somebody who you think has wronged you in Federal Way, Washington.

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Life in Federal Way

Federal Way is a city in the state of Washington; specifically, it is located in King County. Federal Way is located between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. Bordering areas include Puget Sound, Des Moines, Kent, Milton, and Fife.

The city's top employers include Weyerhaeuser, World Vision, St. Francis Hospital, Wild Waves Theme Park, ACS, Wal-Mart, and Coldwell Banker Danforth Associates. Federal Way is also home to many small law offices that cater to residents' legal needs in every area of practice.

Famous residents include Dan Spillner, Kyle Secor, Michael Dickerson, Roy Thomas, Travis Ishikawa, and Kelyn Rowe.

Overall, Federal Way is a city rich in history and definitely worth visiting when in Washington!

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