Litigation Lawyers in Satellite Beach

If you live in , Florida, and believe that you have suffered some type of legal wrong, you may wish to file a lawsuit against the person who allegedly wronged you.

If you think that filing a lawsuit is a good option in seeking redress, you should not rush into this decision. A lawsuit is a time-consuming and expensive process. You should not make a final decision without speaking to a Satellite Beach, Florida attorney.

Once you retain a Satellite Beach, Florida litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Additionally, your lawyer can inform you on what a lawsuit is likely to cost, both in time and money. Obviously, your lawyer has some control over what it will cost you, based on their fees, and whether they bill an hourly rate, or charge on a contingency rate.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Satellite Beach, Florida

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

Drafting The Complaint: Once you decide that pursuing a lawsuit in Satellite Beach, Florida 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 process, 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 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 Satellite Beach, Florida requires that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of basic 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 The Response: The defendant has a specific amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Satellite Beach, Florida. The defendant will probably respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Usually, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for example, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a specific period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Satellite Beach, Florida Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a basic picture of what is required to file a lawsuit in Satellite Beach, Florida. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.

Accordingly, it's always a good idea to speak with a Satellite Beach, Florida litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.