Litigation Lawyers in Old Saybrook

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

Like all laws, the rules of civil procedure in Old Saybrook, Connecticut reflect certain values that society, through its elected representatives, wants to promote. So, the rules of civil procedure have the stated goal of ensuring that the justice system is fair, cost effective, efficient, and accessible to everyone who has a legitimate legal grievance.

The rules of civil procedure in Old Saybrook, Connecticut are sometimes complicated. Because civil litigation is an inherently complex process, the rules that govern how it proceeds can't be simple, either. They govern every step of the litigation process, from filing the initial complaint, all the way to the final appeals process.

Major Old Saybrook, Connecticut Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most important part of filing a lawsuit in Old Saybrook, Connecticut is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with an Old Saybrook, Connecticut court that lays out the plaintiff's (the person filing the suit) allegations against the defendant (the person being sued), as well as the relief that the plaintiff is seeking from the court.

Answer: The answer is usually the first document that the defendant files, and it is meant to serve as a direct response to the plaintiff's complaint. It usually denies all of the plaintiff's major allegations. It might also lay out affirmative defenses. An "affirmative defense" is a set of circumstances that negate the defendant's liability even if their conduct would ordinarily be unlawful. For example, in a lawsuit for battery, a defendant might admit that he struck the plaintiff, but claim that he acted in self-defense. If that can be proven, it would negate, or mitigate, his liability to the plaintiff.

Discovery: Once both sides have fired their opening volleys in the form of the complaint and answer, the next process in civil litigation in Old Saybrook, Connecticut is discovery. Under the civil procedure rules of most jurisdictions in the U.S., each side of a lawsuit is required by law to disclose relevant information to the other side. These disclosures come in the form of depositions, the production of documents, and answers to written questions submitted by opposing counsel.

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

If you're facing a lawsuit in Old Saybrook, Connecticut whether as the plaintiff or defendant, you will have to deal with your jurisdiction's civil procedure rules.

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