Litigation Lawyers in Blakely

"Civil procedure" in Blakely, Pennsylvania is a very broad term, and it refers to the wide variety of rules that regulate 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 Blakely, Pennsylvania are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, inexpensive, simple, and fair as possible.

Civil litigation in Blakely, Pennsylvania is almost never a simple process. So, the rules controlling this process can't always be simple, either. Remember, civil procedure governs every single step of the civil litigation process, which can drag on for years.

Major Blakely, Pennsylvania Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Blakely, Pennsylvania is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Blakely, Pennsylvania 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). Usually, 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: Once the complaint is filed, the ball is in the defendant's court, so to speak. In the answer, the defendant has an chance to respond to all of the factual allegations made by the plaintiff, usually by denying them. The defendant might also raise affirmative defenses, which could keep the defendant from being held liable. For instance, if the defendant is accused of battery, and he did, in fact, batter the plaintiff, he might admit to that fact, but claim that the plaintiff was the aggressor, and he acted purely in self-defense. If he can prove that he acted in self-defense, he likely will not be held liable.

Discovery: The civil procedure rules in Blakely, Pennsylvania were written with the purpose of, among other things, preventing surprises. For that reason, everyone involved in a lawsuit goes into trial with a pretty good idea of what evidence the other side has. This is largely because of the discovery procedure, during which the attorneys for both sides are obligated to disclose (with some exemptions) all information relevant to the trial which they have in their possession. These disclosures come in several forms, such as simply sending boxes of documents, deposing witnesses, or submitting written questions to the other side, which the recipient is obligated to answer under oath.

Trial: It is actually quite rare for civil lawsuits in Blakely, Pennsylvania to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Blakely highly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. Nonetheless, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury determine the questions of law and fact, respectively, raised in the case. The jury then issues a verdict, based on the evidence presented to them.

How Can a Blakely, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

If you are dealing with a lawsuit in Blakely, Pennsylvania, it's almost given that you will have to deal with issues regarding civil procedure.

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