Filing a Lawsuit in Chicopee, Massachusetts

Find the right Litigation attorney in Chicopee, MA

  • /10
  • Client Overall
    Satisfaction Rate*
*TrustPilot score as of 010118

Litigation Lawyers in Chicopee

If you live in Chicopee, Massachusetts and think that you might be the victim of a legal wrong, you may decide that it's worth suing over, to recover compensation from the person who wronged you.

If you think that filing a lawsuit is a good option in seeking redress, you should not rush into this decision. A lawsuit is a time-consuming and expensive process. You should not make a final decision without speaking to a Chicopee, Massachusetts attorney.

Your Chicopee, Massachusetts civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best options on how to proceed. The attorney will also discuss with you the fees for their services, and whether he or she can represent you on a contingency basis.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Chicopee, Massachusetts

Consultation with your attorney: Before you file a lawsuit in a Chicopee, Massachusetts court, you need to meet and confer with a local lawyer. You lawyer in Chicopee, Massachusetts can advise you on whether or not your lawsuit has merit, and how likely it is to succeed.

Drafting a Complaint: Once you have decided to go through with filing a lawsuit in a Chicopee, Massachusetts court, you need to draft a complaint, with the help of your lawyer. A complaint is normally the first step in actually filing a lawsuit. The complaint is the plaintiff's first opportunity to lay out the allegations against the defendant. If a complaint doesn't allege facts that add up to a valid lawsuit (that is, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, the defendant has still not committed a legal wrong that the court can compensate), the case will have to be dismissed. When a case is dismissed for this reason, the court normally gives the plaintiff a chance to re-submit the complaint, with the errors corrected.

Serving the Defendant: When you have decided that you want to file a lawsuit in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and have drafted the complaint, your next major step is to file the complaint with the court, and serve it on the defendant. The defendant must be given at least several weeks' notice that they're being sued, and as much time to review the complaint. This is a matter of basic fairness and due process, and allows the defendant to hire a lawyer and get to work on a defense. The law requires that the defendant be served in a few certain ways. The first choice is to give it to them in person. This has to be done by a person who does not have any direct involvement in the lawsuit. If that isn't possible, the defendant can be served by giving the complaint to another adult member of their household; this is called substituted service.

Awaiting the Defendant's Response: Once a lawsuit has been filed, and the defendant has been served in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the defendant has time to respond. They normally do so by drafting an answer to the complaint, in which they deny the plaintiff's allegations, or assert a legal defense. If the defendant fails to respond within a set period of time, they will be in default, and you may be able to get a "default judgment" against them, in which all of your allegations against the defendant are treated as if the defendant admitted them, and you only need to show that you've suffered losses that warrant the damages you're asking for.

How Can A Chicopee, Massachusetts Tort Lawyer Help?

As you can see, it can be a complex and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and it is, in fact, much more complex than the basic outline you just read.

You should seek the advice of a reliable litigation attorney if you are planning on filing a lawsuit against somebody who you think has wronged you in Chicopee, Massachusetts.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Chicopee

Chicopee is part of Hampden County, Massachusetts. It is located near the Connecticut River. It has a population of around 55,298 people, making it the second largest city in Western Massachusetts. Springfield is the first.

Chicopee is filled with many small businesses. Some of the top employers include Chicopee Provision Company, Blue Seal, and Millie's Pierogi Company.

Past and present famous residents include Ray Fitzgerald, Damien Fahey, Philip Labonte, Scott Barnes, and The Acacia Strain musical group.

Chicopee is also home to many lawyers who have established law offices and small firms in Chicopee. Thus, any and every legal inquiry can be competently handled by the legal force in Chicopee.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Howard B.
Howard B.

Business - Litigation

Rye Brook, NY

Mark B.
Mark B.

Business - Litigation

Roseland, NJ

David A.
David A.

Business - Litigation

Walnut Creek, CA