Litigation Lawyers in Tuckahoe

If you are in Tuckahoe, New York 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 are contemplating filing a lawsuit, you should know that there are many factors that need to be considered before doing so. You should definitely retain a seasoned attorney from Tuckahoe, New York before you proceed.

The Tuckahoe, New York attorney you end up contacting will be able to advise you on whether you have a good case. If you do, they will further advise you on your best options on how to proceed. Your lawyer can also inform you about what their fees are, and if they have multiple payment options.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Tuckahoe, New York

Consultation With Your Attorney: Before filing any case in Tuckahoe, New York, you should talk with a local attorney. Your Tuckahoe, New York attorney will be able to advise you on the merits of your lawsuit, and your chances of success.

Drafting a Complaint: Once you have decided to go through with filing a lawsuit in a Tuckahoe, New York court, you need to draft a complaint, with the help of your lawyer. A complaint is normally the initial step in actually filing a lawsuit. The complaint is the plaintiff's first opportunity to lay out the allegations against the defendant. If a complaint doesn't allege facts that add up to a legitimate lawsuit (that is, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, the defendant has still not committed a legal wrong that the court can compensate), the case will have to be dismissed. When a case is dismissed for this reason, the court normally gives the plaintiff a chance to re-submit the complaint, with the errors corrected.

Serving the Defendant: When you have determined that you want to file a lawsuit in Tuckahoe, New York, and have drafted the complaint, your next important step is to file the complaint with the court, and serve it on the defendant. The defendant must be given at least several weeks' notice that they're being sued, and as much time to review the complaint. This is a matter of general fairness and due process, and allows the defendant to hire a lawyer and get to work on a defense. The law requires that the defendant be served in a few certain ways. The initial choice is to give it to them in person. This has to be done by a person who does not have any direct involvement in the lawsuit. If that isn't possible, the defendant can be served by giving the complaint to another adult member of their household; this is called substituted service.

Await Defendant's Response: When you have served the defendant with the complaint in Tuckahoe, New York, the defendant has time to respond. The most frequent response is known as an "answer," in which they particularly address the factual allegations you've made against them, normally by denying most of the allegations. They might also move to dismiss the case if they can argue that the complaint is legally flawed. A judge then has to rule on this motion. If the defendant doesn't respond within a specific period of time, they are said to have "defaulted." This allows the court to enter a default judgment, in which the plaintiff essentially automatically wins the lawsuit. Once this happens, the defendant, if they're ever located, can be served with the judgment, and will have very little power to challenge the merits of your case.

How Can A Tuckahoe, New York Tort Lawyer Help?

This simple outline is meant to give you a basic idea of what goes into filing a lawsuit in Tuckahoe, New York, but it is by no means a comprehensive guide.

Thus, it is important that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Tuckahoe, New York.