Litigation Lawyers in Montgomery

"Civil procedure" refers to the wide variety of rules that govern the process of civil litigation in Montgomery, Illinois. It does not deal with the substantive rights that the litigation system is meant to protect, just the process by which it protects them.

The rules of civil procedure in Montgomery, Illinois are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, cost-effective, simple, and fair as possible.

Civil litigation, however, is inherently complex. So, there is no getting around the fact that the civil procedure rules in Montgomery, Illinois are also going to be somewhat complicated 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 Montgomery, Illinois Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in a Montgomery, Illinois lawsuit, and it is usually 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. Therefore, it can frame the tone, as well as the legal and factual issues, that will dominate the rest of the case.

Answer: After the plaintiff files the complaint, the defendant has to act. While they have a few options at this stage of the game, most defendants elect to file an answer. The answer is the defendant's first direct response to the plaintiff's allegations. Sometimes, the answer contains a general denial, in which the defendant simply denies everything the plaintiff alleges. It might also contain a point-by-point addressing of every allegation the plaintiff makes, denying some, and admitting some.

Discovery: After the complaint has been filed in the Montgomery, Illinois court of competent jurisdiction, the next major phase is the discovery process. In a civil lawsuit, there are not supposed to be any surprises (so the dramatic moments you see in TV trials are largely fiction). This predictability largely comes from the discovery process. Each side of the lawsuit has to disclose information relevant to the lawsuit to the other. This information can be obtained by sending the other side written questions, which must be answered under oath, demanding access to documents, and deposing witnesses.

Trial: It is actually quite rare for civil lawsuits in Montgomery, Illinois to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Montgomery 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 Montgomery, Illinois Lawyer Help?

If you're suing someone, or are being sued, in Montgomery, Illinois, dealing with issues of civil procedure is going to be a fact of life for quite some time.

Because the rules of civil procedure in Montgomery, Illinois are complex, it's smart to have the counsel of an experienced attorney through every step of the process.