Litigation Lawyers in Moultonborough

In Moultonborough, New Hampshire, "civil procedure" is a broad term that refers to all of the statutes that control the process of civil litigation. Procedural law (such as civil procedure) is distinguished from substantive law, which covers the rights and obligations that the civil justice system is designed to protect.

In Moultonborough, New Hampshire, the civil procedure rules are meant to ensure that the civil litigation system is as efficient, accessible, fair, and inexpensive as possible.

Civil litigation in Moultonborough, New Hampshire is almost never a simple process. So, the rules governing this process can't always be simple, either. Remember, civil procedure covers every single step of the civil litigation process, which can drag on for years.

Major Moultonborough, New Hampshire Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in a Moultonborough, New Hampshire 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 a document filed by the defendant, in response to a complaint. The answer normally contains a few things: usually, it denies most of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If it does not deny the factual assertions in the complaint, it will normally raise legal defenses, known as affirmative defenses, arguing that even if everything the plaintiff alleges is true, the defendant should not be held liable, because of extenuating circumstances.

Discovery: Once the initial documents have been filed by both parties in the correct Moultonborough, New Hampshire 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's quite rare for lawsuits in Moultonborough, New Hampshire to go to trial. Moultonborough's civil procedure rules really discourage trials, and rather have designed the system so that it's almost always more cost-effective to settle out of court. However, if this is not possible, the matter will go to trial, where a judge and/or jury will determine the factual questions, and then award the appropriate relief (if any) to the prevailing party.

How Can a Moultonborough, New Hampshire Lawyer Help?

If you are facing a legal issue of any kind in Moultonborough, New Hampshire, you are going to face civil procedure issues.

The rules of civil procedure in Moultonborough, New Hampshire 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.