Litigation Lawyers in Isle Of Palms

If you are a resident of Isle Of Palms, South Carolina and believe that somebody has committed a legal wrong against you, and have determined that the effort and expense involved in seeking payment is worth it, you may consider filing a lawsuit.

If you're contemplating filing a lawsuit, there are several 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 an Isle Of Palms, South Carolina civil litigation attorney first.

When you contact a civil litigation lawyer in Isle Of Palms, South Carolina, they'll be able to give you some extremely useful advice, especially in devising a strategy that maximizes your chances of winning your lawsuit. You'll probably also wonder how much this lawsuit is going to cost you, especially if you don't win. This largely depends on the attorney's fee structure. If the attorney charges an hourly rate, you will simply have to pay the lawyer for every hour they work. This can add up to a huge amount of money, very rapidly. If they charge on a contingency basis, you do not have to pay any attorney's fees unless you win, and payment comes in the form of the percentage of the judgment. However, if you lose, you might still be responsible for costs, such as court fees, which are incurred no matter what happens to the case.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Isle Of Palms, South Carolina

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in Isle Of Palms, South Carolina, you should seek the advice and counsel of a seasoned Isle Of Palms, South Carolina attorney. He or she will be indispensable in helping you succeed in your lawsuit.

Drafting The Complaint: In Isle Of Palms, South Carolina, the initial step to filing a lawsuit, once you've actually decided to do so (in consultation with your attorney), is writing a complaint. A complaint is simply a list of facts that you allege against the defendant. A court must look at these allegations and decide if they add up to a legitimate cause of action, assuming they're true. If they do not add up to a cause of action, the case may be dismissed. The complaint also normally ask the court to provide specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you and your attorney have written a good complaint, and filed it with the court, it needs to be served on the defendant within a particular period of time. This is necessary under the law of Isle Of Palms, South Carolina to ensure that the defendant actually knows that he's being sued, and has time to find a lawyer and prepare a defense. Generally, the defendant should be served in person. However, when this isn't possible, service by mail is also acceptable in a few instances.

Await Defendant's Response: In Isle Of Palms, South Carolina, the law gives civil defendants a fairly long period of time (a month or two normally) to respond to a lawsuit against them. The most frequent response is either an answer (where they address the factual allegations against them, normally denying most or all of the allegations) or a motion to dismiss (where the contend that, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, those facts would not establish liability). If the defendant does nothing, and fails to respond, they run the risk of having a default judgment entered against them. This normally means that the court automatically rules against them, treating the plaintiff as if they won the lawsuit. This gives the plaintiff a judgment against the defendant, which they can seek to collect using all legal means.

How Can A Isle Of Palms, South Carolina Tort Lawyer Help?

The basic outline above does not come close to covering all the specifics involved in filing a lawsuit in Isle Of Palms, South Carolina.

Thus, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Isle Of Palms, South Carolina, you should not delay to talk with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.