Litigation Lawyers in Kewanee

If you live in Kewanee, 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 many things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Kewanee, Illinois civil litigation attorney.

Once you retain a Kewanee, Illinois litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Additionally, 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 Kewanee, Illinois

Consultation with your attorney: Before you file a lawsuit in a Kewanee, Illinois court, you need to meet and confer with a local lawyer. You lawyer in Kewanee, 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 Kewanee, 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 normally asks the court for particular relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: After you draft your complaint, and file it with the court, you have to let the defendant know that they're being sued. The law of Kewanee, Illinois states that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of general fairness: if you were being sued, you'd want to be given time to find a lawyer and prepare your defense strategy, right? So, with that in mind, the law prefers that defendants be served personally, typically through the use of a paid process server.

Await The Response: The defendant has a specific amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Kewanee, Illinois. The defendant will likely respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Usually, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for instance, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a specific period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Kewanee, Illinois Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a general picture of what is necessary to file a lawsuit in Kewanee, Illinois. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.

Thus, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Kewanee, Illinois, you should not delay to talk with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.