Litigation Lawyers in Emmaus

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

Civil litigation in Emmaus, 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 Emmaus, Pennsylvania Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in an Emmaus, Pennsylvania lawsuit, and it is typically 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. Consequently, 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 typically the first document that the defendant files, and it is meant to serve as a direct response to the plaintiff's complaint. It typically 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: The civil procedure rules in Emmaus, Pennsylvania were written with the purpose of, among other things, preventing surprises. For that reason, everyone engaged 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 truly quite rare for civil lawsuits in Emmaus, Pennsylvania to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Emmaus 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 Emmaus, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

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

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