Litigation Lawyers in Ventnor City

If you are in Ventnor City, New Jersey 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 think that filing a lawsuit is a good choice in seeking redress, you should not rush into this decision. A lawsuit is a time-consuming and costly process. You should not make a final decision without talking to a Ventnor City, New Jersey attorney.

Your Ventnor City, New Jersey civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best avenues on how to proceed. The attorney will also discuss with you the fees for their services, and whether he or she can represent you on a contingency basis.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Ventnor City, New Jersey

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Ventnor City, New Jersey, you should speak with a reliable local attorney in Ventnor City, New Jersey. 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 Ventnor City, New Jersey, the initial step to filing a lawsuit, once you've actually decided to do so (in consultation with your attorney), is writing a complaint. A complaint is simply a list of facts that you allege against the defendant. A court must look at these allegations and decide if they add up to a legitimate cause of action, assuming they're true. If they do not add up to a cause of action, the case may be dismissed. The complaint also typically ask the court to provide specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you and your attorney have written a good complaint, and filed it with the court, it needs to be served on the defendant within a specific period of time. This is necessary under the law of Ventnor City, New Jersey to ensure that the defendant actually knows that he's being sued, and has time to find a lawyer and prepare a defense. Generally, the defendant should be served in person. However, when this isn't possible, service by mail is also acceptable in a few instances.

Awaiting the Defendant's Response: Once a lawsuit has been filed, and the defendant has been served in Ventnor City, New Jersey, the defendant has time to respond. They typically do so by drafting an answer to the complaint, in which they deny the plaintiff's allegations, or assert a legal defense. If the defendant fails to respond within a set period of time, they will be in default, and you may be able to get a "default judgment" against them, in which all of your allegations against the defendant are viewed as if the defendant admitted them, and you only need to establish that you've suffered losses that warrant the damages you're asking for.

How Can A Ventnor City, New Jersey Tort Lawyer Help?

The basic outline above does not come close to covering all the specifics involved in filing a lawsuit in Ventnor City, New Jersey.

If you have suffered a legal wrong in and decide to sue the person who you believed wronged you, you should speak with a qualified Ventnor City, New Jersey attorney.