Litigation Lawyers in Bloomsburg

"Civil procedure" in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania 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 Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, low-cost, simple, and fair as possible.

Civil litigation in Bloomsburg, 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 Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Bloomsburg, 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). Normally, 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, normally 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 show that he acted in self-defense, he likely will not be held liable.

Discovery: The civil procedure rules in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania were written with the purpose of, among other things, preventing surprises. For that reason, everyone immersed 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: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, it is really very rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Bloomsburg is designed to encourage early settlement of cases, or dismissal of cases that don't have any legal or factual merit. Nonetheless, in the rare cases when the case is not dismissed, and the parties can't reach a settlement, the matter will go to trial. A trial is the most visible aspect of civil litigation, and it is the stage when all of the legal and factual questions raised by both parties are resolved by a judge and jury, respectively.

How Can a Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

If you're facing any considerable legal issue in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, you can be pretty much sure that you'll face at least a few procedural complications that can hold up the process.

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