Litigation Lawyers in Calhoun

In Calhoun, Georgia, "civil procedure" refers to the varied processes and procedures that must be followed when conducting a civil lawsuit.

Like all laws, the rules of civil procedure in Calhoun, Georgia reflect specific values that society, through its elected representatives, wants to advocate. 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.

Civil litigation in Calhoun, Georgia is almost never a simple process. So, the rules governing this process can't always be simple, either. Remember, civil procedure covers every single step of the civil litigation process, which can drag on for years.

Major Calhoun, Georgia Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most important part of filing a lawsuit in Calhoun, Georgia is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Calhoun, Georgia 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 typically the first document that the defendant files, and it is meant to serve as a direct response to the plaintiff's complaint. It typically 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 the initial documents have been filed by both parties in the correct Calhoun, Georgia court, the discovery process begins. "Discovery" refers to a wide range of disclosures that each side of the lawsuit must make to the other. Essentially, everyone involved in the lawsuit has to disclose every piece of information in their possession (with some exceptions) that's relevant to the factual issues in the case. There are a few different methods that are employed in this process: each side can send written questions to the other, which must be answered under oath. They can additionally request documents, as well as access to physical evidence. They can also conduct depositions (in-person Q&A sessions) of parties and witnesses.

Trial: It is truly quite rare for civil lawsuits in Calhoun, Georgia to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Calhoun strongly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. However, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury decide the questions of law and fact, respectively, raised in the case. The jury then issues a verdict, based on the evidence presented to them.

How Can a Calhoun, Georgia Lawyer Help?

If you're facing a lawsuit in Calhoun, Georgia 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 a Calhoun, Georgia attorney on hand to deal with any civil procedure issues that you're almost certain to face, if you're engaged in a lawsuit.