Clifton, New Jersey Civil Procedures

Find the right Litigation attorney in Clifton, NJ

  • /10
  • Client Overall
    Satisfaction Rate*
*TrustPilot score as of 010118

Litigation Lawyers in Clifton

In Clifton, New Jersey, "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 safeguard.

Like all laws, the rules of civil procedure in Clifton, New Jersey reflect particular values that society, through its elected representatives, wants to encourage. So, the rules of civil procedure have the stated goal of ensuring that the justice system is fair, cost effective, efficient, and accessible to everyone who has a legitimate legal grievance.

Clifton, New Jersey's civil procedure rules can get pretty difficult, 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 Clifton, New Jersey Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Clifton, New Jersey is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Clifton, New Jersey that's responsible for handling civil trials. It lists everything that the plaintiff (the person who is suing) alleges against the defendant (the person the plaintiff is suing). Normally, but not always, the end of the complaint will contain a "prayer for relief." The prayer for relief is just a statement of what the plaintiff is asking the court to do to remedy the harm that the defendant allegedly caused.

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 reasons 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 shown, it would negate, or mitigate, his liability to the plaintiff.

Discovery: Once the complaint and answer have been filed in a Clifton, New Jersey 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 Clifton, New Jersey to go to trial. Clifton'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. 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 Clifton, New Jersey Lawyer Help?

If you're suing anyone, or are being sued, in Clifton, New Jersey, dealing with issues of civil procedure is going to be a fact of life for quite some time.

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

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Clifton

Clifton is located in Passaic County, New Jersey. As of 2010, it has a population of 84,136 people. What is interesting is that Clifton is listed under five different zip codes--07011, 07012, 07013, 07014, and 07015!

Clifton has been mentioned in media such as the film The King of Comedy, Donnie Brasco, and the television series The Sopranos.

Well-known residents include Jay Alford, David Chase, Ronald F. Maxwell, Jon Seda, Steve Smith, Dave Szott, and Ivan Wilzig.

Clifton is also home to many small law offices and law firms, who train excellent attorneys to practice in various areas of law. Therefore, the legal needs of Clifton residents will always be tended to.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Howard B.
Howard B.

Business - Litigation

Rye Brook, NY

Mark B.
Mark B.

Business - Litigation

Roseland, NJ

David A.
David A.

Business - Litigation

Walnut Creek, CA