Litigation Lawyers in Des Peres

"Civil procedure" refers to the wide variety of rules that regulate the process of civil litigation in Des Peres, Missouri. It does not deal with the substantive rights that the litigation system is meant to safeguard, just the process by which it protects them.

Des Peres, Missouri's government strives to make the civil justice system fair, efficient, and accessible. The rules of civil procedure are designed to promote those goals, to the greatest extent possible.

In Des Peres, Missouri, civil litigation is frequently extremely perplexing. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that the rules of civil procedure can also be fairly perplexing. After all, they govern everything from the first document filed by the plaintiff, to the last ruling issued by an appeals court.

Major Des Peres, Missouri Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: When somebody believes that they have suffered a legal wrong in Des Peres, Missouri, and decide to file a lawsuit, the initial document that they file with the court is usually the complaint. The complaint is very significant, because it can frame the factual and legal issues, and set the tone, for the rest of the process. The complaint typically contains every factual allegation against the defendant that forms the basis of the plaintiff's lawsuit. It also contains a prayer for relief, in which the plaintiff lays out his or her desired remedies, if the court finds the defendant liable.

Answer: After the plaintiff files the complaint, the defendant has to act. While they have a few avenues 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. Occasionally, 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 complaint and answer have been filed in a Des Peres, Missouri court, the next major civil procedure issue comes up. Discovery is the procedure in which both sides of the lawsuit are obligated to disclose obligated evidence to one another. The lawyers for each side can submit written questions, which the other party is required to answer under oath, unless the information is privileged. Each side can also request any relevant documents, physical evidence, and can conduct depositions of witnesses and parties to the lawsuit.

Trial: It's quite rare for lawsuits in Des Peres, Missouri to go to trial. Des Peres's civil procedure rules actually discourage trials, and instead have designed the system so that it's almost always more cost-effective to settle out of court. Nonetheless, if this is not possible, the matter will go to trial, where a judge and/or jury will decide the factual questions, and then award the appropriate relief (if any) to the prevailing party.

How Can a Des Peres, Missouri Lawyer Help?

If you are dealing with a lawsuit in Des Peres, Missouri, it's almost given that you will have to deal with issues regarding civil procedure.

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