Litigation Lawyers in Cobb County

In Cobb County, Georgia, "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 Cobb County, Georgia 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.

Civil litigation in Cobb County, 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 Cobb County, Georgia Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most important part of filing a lawsuit in Cobb County, Georgia is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Cobb County, 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 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 Cobb County, Georgia 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: it's actually very uncommon for lawsuits to go trial in Cobb County, Georgia, because the rules of civil procedure in Cobb County, and nearly everywhere else, encourage speedy resolution of legal disputes, before they ever see the inside of a courtroom. This is largely accomplished by judges dismissing cases that clearly have no merit, or the parties settling out of court. However, when neither of these things is possible, both sides of the lawsuit will have to hash it out in a trial, which can be the most stressful and expensive step in the process. It involves both sides of the case presenting their evidence and arguments to a jury and judge, and letting them decide the issues.

How Can a Cobb County, Georgia Lawyer Help?

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

The rules of civil procedure in Cobb County, Georgia are not always simple or intuitive. With that in mind, it's very important to have a good attorney on your side, to help you through the process.