Litigation Lawyers in St. Clair Shores
"Civil procedure" refers to the wide variety of rules that govern the process of civil litigation in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. It does not deal with the substantive rights that the litigation system is meant to protect, just the process by which it protects them.
St. Clair Shores, Michigan's government strives to make the civil justice system fair, efficient, and accessible. The rules of civil procedure are designed to encourage those goals, to the greatest extent possible.
St. Clair Shores, Michigan's civil procedure rules can get pretty convoluted, however. They control every aspect of a civil action, from the filing of the complaint, to discovery, and all the way through trial and appeals.
Major St. Clair Shores, Michigan Civil Procedure Issues
Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in a St. Clair Shores, Michigan lawsuit, and it is normally the first. The complaint contains all of the plaintiff's allegations against the defendant, as well as the relief that the plaintiff is asking the court to provide. Thus, it can frame the tone, as well as the legal and factual issues, that will dominate the rest of the case.
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 circumstances 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 proven, it would negate, or mitigate, his liability to the plaintiff.
Discovery: The civil procedure rules in St. Clair Shores, Michigan were written with the purpose of, among other things, avoiding surprises. For that reason, everyone immersed in a lawsuit goes into trial with a pretty good idea of what evidence the other side has. This is largely because of the discovery process, during which the attorneys for both sides are required to disclose (with some exemptions) all information relevant to the trial which they have in their possession. These disclosures come in multiple forms, such as simply sending boxes of documents, deposing witnesses, or submitting written questions to the other side, which the recipient is obligated to answer under oath.
Trial: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, it is really extremely rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in St. Clair Shores 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 St. Clair Shores, Michigan Lawyer Help?
If you're facing a lawsuit in St. Clair Shores, Michigan whether as the plaintiff or defendant, you will have to deal with your jurisdiction's civil procedure rules.
In St. Clair Shores, Michigan, procedural pitfalls 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.
Another lawyer said my case would take weeks of work and require thousands of dollars of research. Howard pointed to a very fundamental clause in the contract, wrote a letter to termite the contract and dealt with all responses from the opposing parties attorney. Very cut and dry for a fraction of the fees. Highly recommended.
An excellent Attorney with a keen legal mind. He is attentive, responsive and his fees very reasonable!
I understand many lawyers are very busy, But Howard Bender, busy as he is, responded quickly and professionally. My impression is he is a man of his word.
Howard Bender has a wealth of knowledge with trademark contract negotiations. His expertise has helped us move our case forward productively.
This lawyer is the best! He is sharp, grasps everything quickly, and has a friendly approach. He helped me out & all without fighting.