Litigation Lawyers in Breaux Bridge

"Civil procedure" refers to the wide variety of rules that regulate the process of civil litigation in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. 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 civil procedure rules in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana are designed around a few simple goals for the civil litigation system: efficiency, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and, most notably, fairness.

Civil litigation in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana is almost never a simple process. So, the rules controlling this process can't always be simple, either. Remember, civil procedure governs every single step of the civil litigation process, which can drag on for years.

Major Breaux Bridge, Louisiana Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most significant part of filing a lawsuit in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Breaux Bridge, Louisiana court that lays out the plaintiff's (the individual filing the suit) allegations against the defendant (the individual being sued), as well as the relief that the plaintiff is seeking from the court.

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: After the complaint has been filed in the Breaux Bridge, Louisiana court of competent jurisdiction, the next important 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 received by sending the other side written questions, which must be answered under oath, demanding access to documents, and deposing witnesses.

Trial: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, it is really very rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Breaux Bridge is designed to encourage early settlement of cases, or dismissal of cases that don't have any legal or factual merit. Nonetheless, in the rare cases when the case is not dismissed, and the parties can't reach a settlement, the matter will go to trial. A trial is the most visible aspect of civil litigation, and it is the stage when all of the legal and factual questions raised by both parties are resolved by a judge and jury, respectively.

How Can a Breaux Bridge, Louisiana Lawyer Help?

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

Civil Procedure in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana can be pretty difficult. It's always a good idea to have a lawyer who can advise you on how best to deal with these civil procedure issues.