Litigation Lawyers in Glencoe

In Glencoe, Alabama, "civil procedure" refers to the various processes and procedures that must be followed when conducting a civil lawsuit.

In Glencoe, Alabama, the civil procedure rules are meant to ensure that the civil litigation system is as efficient, accessible, fair, and cost-effective as possible.

Civil litigation, however, is inherently complex. So, there is no getting around the fact that the civil procedure rules in Glencoe, Alabama are also going to be somewhat complicated and obtuse (or at least parts of them are). Remember, these rules govern every single thing that happens in a civil lawsuit, from the first complaint, to the last appeal.

Major Glencoe, Alabama Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: In Glencoe, Alabama the first step in suing somebody (after speaking with a lawyer to determine if you have a case) is usually filing a complaint. The complaint is also one of the most important documents in the civil litigation process. By laying out the wrongs that the plaintiff alleges the defendant has committed, as well as the remedies that the plaintiff wants the court to provide, it can set the tone for the entire rest of the case.

Answer: For the defendant, the answer is usually the first document they file in a lawsuit. As the name suggests, it "answers" the plaintiff's complaint. The answer typically denies most, or all, of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If the allegations are factually correct, and the defendant knows this, the defendant might admit that the allegations are true, but because of extenuating circumstances, they should not be held liable. For example, in a lawsuit for battery, a defendant might admit that they did strike the plaintiff, but claim that they were acting in self-defense, which would negate or weaken the plaintiff's case.

Discovery: Once the complaint and answer have been filed in a Glencoe, Alabama court, the next major civil procedure issue comes up. Discovery is the process in which both sides of the lawsuit are required to disclose required evidence to one another. The lawyers for each side can submit written questions, which the other party is required to answer under oath, unless the information is privileged. Each side can also request any relevant documents, physical evidence, and can conduct depositions of witnesses and parties to the lawsuit.

Trial: It's quite rare for lawsuits in Glencoe, Alabama to go to trial. Glencoe's civil procedure rules actually discourage trials, and instead have designed the system so that it's almost always more cost-effective to settle out of court. However, if this is not possible, the matter will go to trial, where a judge and/or jury will determine the factual questions, and then award the appropriate relief (if any) to the prevailing party.

How Can a Glencoe, Alabama Lawyer Help?

If you are dealing with a lawsuit in Glencoe, Alabama, it's almost certain that you will have to deal with issues concerning civil procedure.

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