Litigation Lawyers in Richland

If you are in Richland, Mississippi and believe that some form of legal wrong has been committed against you, and determine that seeking legal redress will be worth the time and expense involved, you may wish to file a lawsuit.

If you wish to file a lawsuit, there are several things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Richland, Mississippi civil litigation attorney.

Once you have retained an attorney in Richland, Mississippi, he or she will be able to help you devise a strategy on how to proceed, which will hopefully maximize your chances of success in your lawsuit. Your lawyer can also provide you a rough idea of how much the lawsuit is likely to cost, taking into account court fees, expert witness fees, and other costs.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Richland, Mississippi

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Richland, Mississippi, you should speak with a reputable local attorney in Richland, Mississippi. Your legal counsel can make sure you have the best possible chance of winning your case, and help you decide if you should file your lawsuit in the first place.

Drafting The Complaint: In Richland, Mississippi, the initial step in filing a lawsuit is drafting a complaint. The complaint is a document that lays out all of your allegations against the person you're suing. It generally provides necessary background information, details the injuries you suffered, and why the person you're suing is to blame for those injuries. It also usually contains a specific "prayer" (request) for relief - a brief statement telling the court what the plaintiff is asking of it, such as monetary damages, and injunction, or other relief.

Serving The Defendant: Once you have drafted your complaint, you need to serve the defendant with it, and file it with the court. Richland, Mississippi requires that lawsuits be served on defendants in a certain way. This is to ensure that the defendant has a good deal of notice that they're being sued, giving them time to find an attorney, and work on how they're going to defend themselves. It is highly preferred to serve defendants in person (with a disinterested third party delivering the papers to the defendant). Occasionally, however, the defendant cannot be found, or is trying to avoid service, they can be served by mail with court approval.

Await Defendant's Response: In Richland, Mississippi, the law gives civil defendants a fairly long period of time (a month or two usually) to respond to a lawsuit against them. The most common response is either an answer (where they address the factual allegations against them, usually denying most or all of the allegations) or a motion to dismiss (where the contend that, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, those facts would not establish liability). If the defendant does nothing, and fails to respond, they run the risk of having a default judgment entered against them. This usually means that the court automatically rules against them, treating the plaintiff as if they won the lawsuit. This gives the plaintiff a judgment against the defendant, which they can seek to collect using all legal means.

How Can A Richland, Mississippi Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a general picture of what is necessary to file a lawsuit in Richland, Mississippi. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.

Therefore, it's always a good idea to talk with a Richland, Mississippi litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.