Litigation Lawyers in Jerseyville

If you live in Jerseyville, Illinois and think that you might be the victim of a legal wrong, you may determine that it's worth suing over, to recover compensation from the individual who wronged you.

If you wish to file a lawsuit, there are various things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Jerseyville, Illinois civil litigation attorney.

Once you contact a Jerseyville, Illinois litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Moreover, 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 Jerseyville, Illinois

Consultation with your attorney: Before you file a lawsuit in a Jerseyville, Illinois court, you need to meet and confer with a local lawyer. You lawyer in Jerseyville, Illinois can advise you on whether or not your lawsuit has merit, and how possible it is to prevail.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you determine that pursuing a lawsuit in Jerseyville, Illinois 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 procedure, 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 typically asks the court for particular relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you have drafted your complaint, you need to serve the defendant with it, and file it with the court. Jerseyville, Illinois requires that lawsuits be served on defendants in a specific way. This is to ensure that the defendant has a good deal of notice that they're being sued, giving them time to find an attorney, and work on how they're going to defend themselves. It is highly preferred to serve defendants in person (with a disinterested third party delivering the papers to the defendant). Occasionally, however, the defendant cannot be found, or is trying to avoid service, they can be served by mail with court approval.

Await Defendant's Response: In Jerseyville, Illinois, the law gives civil defendants a fairly long period of time (a month or two typically) to respond to a lawsuit against them. The most prevalent response is either an answer (where they address the factual allegations against them, typically denying most or all of the allegations) or a motion to dismiss (where the contend that, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, those facts would not establish liability). If the defendant does nothing, and fails to respond, they run the risk of having a default judgment entered against them. This typically means that the court automatically rules against them, treating the plaintiff as if they won the lawsuit. This gives the plaintiff a judgment against the defendant, which they can seek to collect using all legal means.

How Can A Jerseyville, Illinois Tort Lawyer Help?

As you can see, it can be an intricate and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Jerseyville, Illinois, and it is, in fact, much more intricate than the basic outline you just read.

Thus, it is essential that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Jerseyville, Illinois.