Litigation Lawyers in Altus

"Civil procedure" in Altus, Oklahoma is a very broad term, and it refers to the wide variety of rules that control how civil litigation is done. It is to be distinguished from substantive law, which controls the rights that civil litigation is meant to vindicate.

The rules of civil procedure in Altus, Oklahoma are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, inexpensive, simple, and fair as possible.

The rules of civil procedure in Altus, Oklahoma are sometimes difficult. Because civil litigation is an inherently complicated process, the rules that govern how it proceeds can't be simple, either. They govern every step of the litigation process, from filing the initial complaint, all the way to the final appeals process.

Major Altus, Oklahoma Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in an Altus, Oklahoma 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 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 initial documents have been filed by both parties in the proper Altus, Oklahoma court, the discovery process begins. "Discovery" refers to a wide range of disclosures that each side of the lawsuit must make to the other. Basically, 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 procedure: 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 Altus, Oklahoma to go to trial. Altus'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 Altus, Oklahoma Lawyer Help?

If you are facing a legal issue of any sort in Altus, Oklahoma, you are going to face civil procedure issues.

It should go without saying that you should have an Altus, Oklahoma attorney on hand to deal with any civil procedure issues that you're almost sure to face, if you're immersed in a lawsuit.