Litigation Lawyers in Pontiac

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

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

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

Complaint: In Pontiac, Illinois the initial step in suing somebody (after speaking with a lawyer to determine if you have a case) is normally filing a complaint. The complaint is also one of the most significant documents in the civil litigation process. By laying out the wrongs that the plaintiff alleges the defendant has committed, as well as the remedies that the plaintiff wants the court to provide, it can set the tone for the entire rest of the case.

Answer: Once the complaint is filed, the ball is in the defendant's court, so to speak. In the answer, the defendant has an chance to respond to all of the factual allegations made by the plaintiff, normally by denying them. The defendant might also raise affirmative defenses, which could keep the defendant from being held liable. For instance, if the defendant is accused of battery, and he did, in fact, batter the plaintiff, he might admit to that fact, but claim that the plaintiff was the aggressor, and he acted purely in self-defense. If he can show that he acted in self-defense, he likely will not be held liable.

Discovery: Once the initial documents have been filed by both parties in the proper Pontiac, Illinois court, the discovery process begins. "Discovery" refers to a wide range of disclosures that each side of the lawsuit must make to the other. Basically, everyone involved in the lawsuit has to disclose every piece of information in their possession (with some exceptions) that's relevant to the factual issues in the case. There are a few different methods that are employed in this procedure: each side can send written questions to the other, which must be answered under oath. They can further request documents, as well as access to physical evidence. They can also conduct depositions (in-person Q&A sessions) of parties and witnesses.

Trial: It is really quite rare for civil lawsuits in Pontiac, Illinois to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Pontiac highly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. Nonetheless, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury determine 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 Pontiac, Illinois Lawyer Help?

If you're facing a lawsuit in Pontiac, Illinois whether as the plaintiff or defendant, you will have to interact with your jurisdiction's civil procedure rules.

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