Litigation Lawyers in Philadelphia
If you are a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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're considering filing a lawsuit, there are numerous things you need to consider, and it is not a decision to be made lightly. You should not file a lawsuit without seeking the advice of a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania civil litigation attorney first.
Once you contact a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Moreover, your lawyer can inform you on what a lawsuit is likely to cost, both in time and money. Obviously, your lawyer has some control over what it will cost you, based on their fees, and whether they bill an hourly rate, or charge on a contingency rate.
Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Consultation With Your Attorney: Before filing any lawsuit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, you should speak with a local attorney. Your Philadelphia, Pennsylvania attorney will be able to advise you on the merits of your lawsuit, and your chances of success.
Drafting The Complaint: Once you decide that pursuing a lawsuit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 typically asks the court for specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.
Serving The Defendant: After you draft your complaint, and file it with the court, you have to let the defendant know that they're being sued. The law of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania requires that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of basic fairness: if you were being sued, you'd want to be given time to find a lawyer and prepare your defense strategy, right? So, with that in mind, the law prefers that defendants be served personally, usually through the use of a paid process server.
Await The Response: The defendant has a given amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The defendant will probably respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Normally, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for example, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a predetermined period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.
How Can A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tort Lawyer Help?
As you can see, it can be an intricate and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it is, in fact, much more intricate than the basic outline you just read.
If you have suffered a legal wrong in and decide to sue the person who you believed wronged you, you should speak with a qualified Philadelphia, Pennsylvania attorney.
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