Litigation Lawyers in Portsmouth

"Civil procedure" in Portsmouth, Rhode Island is a very broad term, and it refers to the wide variety of rules that control how civil litigation is conducted. It is to be distinguished from substantive law, which governs the rights that civil litigation is meant to vindicate.

In Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the civil procedure rules are meant to ensure that the civil litigation system is as efficient, accessible, fair, and inexpensive as possible.

Civil litigation in Portsmouth, Rhode Island is almost never a simple process. So, the rules governing this process can't always be simple, either. Remember, civil procedure covers every single step of the civil litigation process, which can drag on for years.

Major Portsmouth, Rhode Island Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: When somebody believes that they have suffered a legal wrong in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and decide to file a lawsuit, the first document that they file with the court is normally the complaint. The complaint is very important, because it can frame the factual and legal issues, and set the tone, for the rest of the process. The complaint usually contains every factual allegation against the defendant that forms the basis of the plaintiff's lawsuit. It also contains a prayer for relief, in which the plaintiff lays out his or her desired remedies, if the court finds the defendant liable.

Answer: Once the complaint is filed, the ball is in the defendant's court, so to speak. In the answer, the defendant has an opportunity 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 prevent the defendant from being held liable. For example, 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: Once the complaint and answer have been filed in a Portsmouth, Rhode Island court, the next major civil procedure issue comes up. Discovery is the process in which both sides of the lawsuit are required to disclose required evidence to one another. The lawyers for each side can submit written questions, which the other party is required to answer under oath, unless the information is privileged. Each side can also request any relevant documents, physical evidence, and can conduct depositions of witnesses and parties to the lawsuit.

Trial: it's really very uncommon for lawsuits to go trial in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, because the rules of civil procedure in Portsmouth, and nearly everywhere else, encourage speedy resolution of legal disputes, before they ever see the inside of a courtroom. This is largely accomplished by judges dismissing cases that clearly have no merit, or the parties settling out of court. However, when neither of these things is possible, both sides of the lawsuit will have to hash it out in a trial, which can be the most stressful and expensive step in the process. It involves both sides of the case presenting their evidence and arguments to a jury and judge, and letting them decide the issues.

How Can a Portsmouth, Rhode Island Lawyer Help?

If you're facing a lawsuit in Portsmouth, Rhode Island whether as the plaintiff or defendant, you will have to deal with your jurisdiction's civil procedure rules.

Because the rules of civil procedure in Portsmouth, Rhode Island are complicated, it's smart to have the counsel of an accomplished attorney through every step of the process.