Litigation Lawyers in Cedar Lake

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

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

Major Cedar Lake, Indiana Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: In Cedar Lake, Indiana the initial step in suing somebody (after speaking with a lawyer to determine if you have a case) is typically 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: The answer is a document filed by the defendant, in response to a complaint. The answer typically contains a few things: normally, it denies most of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If it does not deny the factual assertions in the complaint, it will typically raise legal defenses, known as affirmative defenses, arguing that even if everything the plaintiff alleges is true, the defendant should not be held liable, because of extenuating circumstances.

Discovery: Once the initial documents have been filed by both parties in the proper Cedar Lake, Indiana 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 additionally 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's quite rare for lawsuits in Cedar Lake, Indiana to go to trial. Cedar Lake's civil procedure rules truly discourage trials, and alternatively have designed the system so that it's almost always more cost-effective to settle out of court. Nonetheless, if this is not possible, the matter will go to trial, where a judge and/or jury will decide the factual questions, and then award the appropriate relief (if any) to the prevailing party.

How Can a Cedar Lake, Indiana Lawyer Help?

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

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