Litigation Lawyers in Collinsville

If you are a resident of Collinsville, Oklahoma and believe that somebody has committed a legal wrong against you, and have decided that the effort and expense involved in seeking compensation is worth it, you may consider filing a lawsuit.

If you wish to file a lawsuit, there are many things you need to consider, and the decision to sue someone should not be made without the counsel of a Collinsville, Oklahoma civil litigation attorney.

The Collinsville, Oklahoma attorney you end up contacting will be able to advise you on whether you have a good case. If you do, they will also 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 Collinsville, Oklahoma

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in Collinsville, Oklahoma, you should seek the advice and counsel of a brilliant Collinsville, Oklahoma attorney. He or she will be indispensable in helping you succeed in your lawsuit.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you decide that pursuing a lawsuit in Collinsville, Oklahoma civil court is worth your time and effort, you need to file a complaint. The complaint can set the tone, and frame the issues, for the rest of the litigation process, which can drag on for months, or even years (and decades, in some cases). This is because the complaint lays out all the allegations against the defendant. It also normally asks the court for specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you have drafted your complaint, you need to serve the defendant with it, and file it with the court. Collinsville, Oklahoma requires that lawsuits be served on defendants in a particular way. This is to ensure that the defendant has a good deal of notice that they're being sued, giving them time to find an attorney, and work on how they're going to defend themselves. It is strongly preferred to serve defendants in person (with a disinterested third party delivering the papers to the defendant). Sometimes, however, the defendant cannot be found, or is trying to avoid service, they can be served by mail with court approval.

Await Defendant's Response: In Collinsville, Oklahoma, the law gives civil defendants a fairly long period of time (a month or two normally) to respond to a lawsuit against them. The most frequent response is either an answer (where they address the factual allegations against them, normally denying most or all of the allegations) or a motion to dismiss (where the contend that, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, those facts would not establish liability). If the defendant does nothing, and fails to respond, they run the risk of having a default judgment entered against them. This normally means that the court automatically rules against them, treating the plaintiff as if they won the lawsuit. This gives the plaintiff a judgment against the defendant, which they can seek to collect using all legal means.

How Can A Collinsville, Oklahoma Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a basic picture of what is required to file a lawsuit in Collinsville, Oklahoma. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.

Accordingly, it's always a good idea to speak with a Collinsville, Oklahoma litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.