Litigation Lawyers in Broussard

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

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

Major Broussard, Louisiana Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most important part of filing a lawsuit in Broussard, Louisiana is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Broussard, Louisiana court that lays out the plaintiff's (the person filing the suit) allegations against the defendant (the person 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 opportunity 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 prevent the defendant from being held liable. For example, 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 Broussard, Louisiana 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 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 Broussard, Louisiana, it is really extremely rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Broussard is designed to encourage early settlement of cases, or dismissal of cases that don't have any legal or factual merit. However, 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 Broussard, Louisiana Lawyer Help?

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

In Broussard, Louisiana, procedural issues can derail an otherwise-valid case. They can also be some of the most obtuse and convoluted issues in the whole case. Thus, you should not go into something like this without the counsel of an attorney.