Litigation Lawyers in Trenton

"Civil procedure" refers to the wide variety of rules that govern the process of civil litigation in Trenton, 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.

Trenton, 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.

Trenton, 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 Trenton, Michigan Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in a Trenton, 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: After the plaintiff files the complaint, the defendant has to act. While they have a few options at this stage of the game, most defendants elect to file an answer. The answer is the defendant's first direct response to the plaintiff's allegations. Sometimes, the answer contains a general denial, in which the defendant simply denies everything the plaintiff alleges. It might also contain a point-by-point addressing of every allegation the plaintiff makes, denying some, and admitting some.

Discovery: Once the initial documents have been filed by both parties in the correct Trenton, Michigan court, the discovery process begins. "Discovery" refers to a wide range of disclosures that each side of the lawsuit must make to the other. Essentially, 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 process: each side can send written questions to the other, which must be answered under oath. They can further 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 is really quite rare for civil lawsuits in Trenton, Michigan to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Trenton strongly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. However, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury decide the questions of law and fact, respectively, raised in the case. The jury then issues a verdict, based on the evidence presented to them.

How Can a Trenton, Michigan Lawyer Help?

If you're facing any considerable legal issue in Trenton, Michigan, you can be pretty much certain that you'll face at least a few procedural complications that can hold up the process.

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