Litigation Lawyers in Silvis

"Civil procedure" refers to the wide variety of rules that regulate the process of civil litigation in Silvis, 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 Silvis, Illinois are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, inexpensive, simple, and fair as possible.

In Silvis, Illinois, civil litigation is frequently extremely difficult. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that the rules of civil procedure can also be fairly intricate. After all, they govern everything from the first document filed by the plaintiff, to the last ruling issued by an appeals court.

Major Silvis, Illinois Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Silvis, Illinois is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Silvis, Illinois that's responsible for handling civil trials. It lists everything that the plaintiff (the person who is suing) alleges against the defendant (the person the plaintiff is suing). Normally, but not always, the end of the complaint will contain a "prayer for relief." The prayer for relief is just a statement of what the plaintiff is asking the court to do to remedy the harm that the defendant allegedly caused.

Answer: The answer is normally the first document that the defendant files, and it is meant to serve as a direct response to the plaintiff's complaint. It normally denies all of the plaintiff's major allegations. It might also lay out affirmative defenses. An "affirmative defense" is a set of reasons that negate the defendant's liability even if their conduct would ordinarily be unlawful. For example, in a lawsuit for battery, a defendant might admit that he struck the plaintiff, but claim that he acted in self-defense. If that can be shown, it would negate, or mitigate, his liability to the plaintiff.

Discovery: Once both sides have fired their opening volleys in the form of the complaint and answer, the next procedure in civil litigation in Silvis, Illinois is discovery. Under the civil procedure rules of most jurisdictions in the U.S., each side of a lawsuit is obligated by law to disclose relevant information to the other side. These disclosures come in the form of depositions, the production of documents, and answers to written questions submitted by opposing counsel.

Trial: it's really very uncommon for lawsuits to go trial in Silvis, Illinois, because the rules of civil procedure in Silvis, and nearly everywhere else, encourage speedy resolution of legal disputes, before they ever see the inside of a courtroom. This is largely done by judges dismissing cases that clearly have no merit, or the parties settling out of court. Nonetheless, when neither of these things is possible, both sides of the lawsuit will have to hash it out in a trial, which can be the most stressful and expensive step in the process. It involves both sides of the case presenting their evidence and arguments to a jury and judge, and letting them determine the issues.

How Can a Silvis, Illinois Lawyer Help?

If you are dealing with a lawsuit in Silvis, Illinois, it's almost given that you will have to deal with issues regarding civil procedure.

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