Litigation Lawyers in Palos Verdes Estates

If you live in , California, and believe that you have sustained some form of legal wrong, you may wish to file a lawsuit against the individual who allegedly wronged you.

If you think that you may want to file a lawsuit, you should not make this decision easily, and there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account. Obviously, you should never go into a lawsuit without at least consulting a reliable Palos Verdes Estates, California civil litigation attorney.

Once you have retained an attorney in Palos Verdes Estates, California, 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 Palos Verdes Estates, California

Consultation With Your Attorney: Before filing any case in Palos Verdes Estates, California, you should talk with a local attorney. Your Palos Verdes Estates, California attorney will be able to advise you on the merits of your lawsuit, and your chances of success.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you determine that pursuing a lawsuit in Palos Verdes Estates, California 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 procedure, 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 particular 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 Palos Verdes Estates, California 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, typically through the use of a paid process server.

Await Defendant's Response: When you have served the defendant with the complaint in Palos Verdes Estates, California, the defendant has time to respond. The most frequent response is known as an "answer," in which they particularly 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 Palos Verdes Estates, California Tort Lawyer Help?

Filing a lawsuit in a Palos Verdes Estates, California court is a bit more complex than the basic outline laid out above.

Thus, it is important that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Palos Verdes Estates, California.