Litigation Lawyers in Sioux Falls
If you are a resident of Sioux Falls, South Dakota 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 think that you may want to file a lawsuit, you should not make this decision easily, 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 Sioux Falls, South Dakota civil litigation attorney.
Your Sioux Falls, South Dakota civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best avenues 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 Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, you should speak with a seasoned local attorney in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Your legal counsel can make sure you have the best possible chance of winning your case, and help you decide if you should file your lawsuit in the first place.
Drafting The Complaint: In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 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 Sioux Falls, South Dakota 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 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 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 Sioux Falls, South Dakota Tort Lawyer Help?
This article gives you a general picture of what is necessary to file a lawsuit in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. However, it should not, under any circumstances, be read as a complete guide to the litigation process.
Thus, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, you should not delay to talk with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.
Another lawyer said my case would take weeks of work and require thousands of dollars of research. Howard pointed to a very fundamental clause in the contract, wrote a letter to termite the contract and dealt with all responses from the opposing parties attorney. Very cut and dry for a fraction of the fees. Highly recommended.
An excellent Attorney with a keen legal mind. He is attentive, responsive and his fees very reasonable!
I understand many lawyers are very busy, But Howard Bender, busy as he is, responded quickly and professionally. My impression is he is a man of his word.
Howard Bender has a wealth of knowledge with trademark contract negotiations. His expertise has helped us move our case forward productively.
This lawyer is the best! He is sharp, grasps everything quickly, and has a friendly approach. He helped me out & all without fighting.