Litigation Lawyers in Fort Bend County

If you are a resident of Fort Bend County, Texas 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 are contemplating filing a lawsuit, you should know that there are many factors that need to be considered before doing so. You should definitely retain a brilliant attorney from Fort Bend County, Texas before you proceed.

Your Fort Bend County, Texas 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 Fort Bend County, Texas

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

Drafting The Complaint: In Fort Bend County, Texas, 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: Once you, or your lawyer, have drafted a complaint, the defendant must be served with it, so they have notice that they're being sued, and are given time to prepare a defense. Fort Bend County, Texas has certain rules governing how a complaint must be served, for the service to be valid. Personal service (having someone give the documents directly to the defendant) is preferred. However, some courts will also accept service by mail in limited circumstances, or service upon an adult member of the defendant's household.

Await Defendant's Response: In Fort Bend County, Texas, 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 Fort Bend County, Texas Tort Lawyer Help?

The basic outline above does not come close to covering all the details involved in filing a lawsuit in Fort Bend County, Texas.

Therefore, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Fort Bend County, Texas, you should not hesitate to speak with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.