Litigation Lawyers in Marion

If you are a resident of Marion, South Carolina 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 think that you may want to file a lawsuit, you should not make this decision lightly, and there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account. Obviously, you should never go into a lawsuit without at least consulting a reliable Marion, South Carolina civil litigation attorney.

Your Marion, South Carolina civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best options on how to proceed. The attorney will also discuss with you the fees for their services, and whether he or she can represent you on a contingency basis.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Marion, South Carolina

Consultation with your attorney: Before you file a lawsuit in a Marion, South Carolina court, you need to meet and confer with a local lawyer. You lawyer in Marion, South Carolina can advise you on whether or not your lawsuit has merit, and how likely it is to succeed.

Drafting The Complaint: In Marion, South Carolina, the first 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 determine if they add up to a valid 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: 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 Marion, South Carolina 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, typically through the use of a paid process server.

Await Defendant's Response: When you have served the defendant with the complaint in Marion, South Carolina, the defendant has time to respond. The most frequent response is known as an "answer," in which they specifically address the factual allegations you've made against them, normally by denying most of the allegations. They might also move to dismiss the case if they can argue that the complaint is legally flawed. A judge then has to rule on this motion. If the defendant doesn't respond within a specific period of time, they are said to have "defaulted." This allows the court to enter a default judgment, in which the plaintiff essentially automatically wins the lawsuit. Once this happens, the defendant, if they're ever located, can be served with the judgment, and will have very little power to challenge the merits of your case.

How Can A Marion, South Carolina Tort Lawyer Help?

This article gives you a basic picture of what is required to file a lawsuit in Marion, South Carolina. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.

If you have suffered a legal wrong in and decide to sue the person who you believed wronged you, you should talk with a qualified Marion, South Carolina attorney.