Litigation Lawyers in Blackfoot

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

Blackfoot, Idaho'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.

Civil litigation, however, is inherently difficult. So, there is no getting around the fact that the civil procedure rules in Blackfoot, Idaho are also going to be somewhat convoluted and obtuse (or at least parts of them are). Remember, these rules govern every single thing that happens in a civil lawsuit, from the first complaint, to the last appeal.

Major Blackfoot, Idaho Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in a Blackfoot, Idaho lawsuit, and it is normally the first. The complaint contains all of the plaintiff's allegations against the defendant, as well as the relief that the plaintiff is asking the court to provide. Thus, it can frame the tone, as well as the legal and factual issues, that will dominate the rest of the case.

Answer: For the defendant, the answer is normally the first document they file in a lawsuit. As the name suggests, it "answers" the plaintiff's complaint. The answer usually denies most, or all, of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If the allegations are factually correct, and the defendant knows this, the defendant might admit that the allegations are true, but because of extenuating circumstances, they should not be held liable. For example, in a lawsuit for battery, a defendant might admit that they did strike the plaintiff, but claim that they were acting in self-defense, which would negate or weaken the plaintiff's case.

Discovery: The civil procedure rules in Blackfoot, Idaho were written with the purpose of, among other things, avoiding surprises. For that reason, everyone immersed in a lawsuit goes into trial with a pretty good idea of what evidence the other side has. This is largely because of the discovery process, during which the attorneys for both sides are required to disclose (with some exemptions) all information relevant to the trial which they have in their possession. These disclosures come in multiple forms, such as simply sending boxes of documents, deposing witnesses, or submitting written questions to the other side, which the recipient is obligated to answer under oath.

Trial: It is really quite rare for civil lawsuits in Blackfoot, Idaho to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Blackfoot 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 Blackfoot, Idaho Lawyer Help?

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

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