Litigation Lawyers in Waycross

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

Waycross, Georgia's government strives to make the civil justice system fair, efficient, and accessible. The rules of civil procedure are designed to encourage those goals, to the greatest extent possible.

The rules of civil procedure in Waycross, Georgia are sometimes difficult. Because civil litigation is an inherently complicated 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 Waycross, Georgia Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most significant part of filing a lawsuit in Waycross, Georgia is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Waycross, Georgia court that lays out the plaintiff's (the individual filing the suit) allegations against the defendant (the individual being sued), as well as the relief that the plaintiff is seeking from the court.

Answer: The answer is normally the first document that the defendant files, and it is meant to serve as a direct response to the plaintiff's complaint. It normally denies all of the plaintiff's major allegations. It might also lay out affirmative defenses. An "affirmative defense" is a set of reasons 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 shown, 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 procedure in civil litigation in Waycross, Georgia is discovery. Under the civil procedure rules of most jurisdictions in the U.S., each side of a lawsuit is obligated 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 Waycross, Georgia, it is really very rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Waycross is designed to encourage early settlement of cases, or dismissal of cases that don't have any legal or factual merit. Nonetheless, 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 Waycross, Georgia Lawyer Help?

If you are facing a legal issue of any sort in Waycross, Georgia, you are going to face civil procedure issues.

It should go without saying that you should have a Waycross, Georgia attorney on hand to deal with any civil procedure issues that you're almost sure to face, if you're immersed in a lawsuit.