Litigation Lawyers in Lacy Lakeview

If you are a resident of Lacy Lakeview, Texas 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 are contemplating filing a lawsuit, you should know that there are many factors that need to be considered before doing so. You should definitely contact a reliable attorney from Lacy Lakeview, Texas before you proceed.

Your Lacy Lakeview, Texas 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 Lacy Lakeview, Texas

Consultation with your attorney: You should always speak with a Lacy Lakeview, Texas lawyer who specializes in civil litigation before filing any type of lawsuit in a court in Lacy Lakeview, Texas. Your lawyer will have critical information and advise, helping you decide whether or not your chances of success in the lawsuit make it worth your while to proceed.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you determine that pursuing a lawsuit in Lacy Lakeview, Texas civil court is worth your time and effort, you need to file a complaint. The complaint can set the tone, and frame the issues, for the rest of the litigation procedure, which can drag on for months, or even years (and decades, in some cases). This is because the complaint lays out all the allegations against the defendant. It also typically asks the court for particular 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. Lacy Lakeview, Texas has particular 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 The Response: The defendant has a given amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Lacy Lakeview, Texas. The defendant will likely respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Normally, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for instance, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a predetermined period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Lacy Lakeview, Texas Tort Lawyer Help?

As you can see, it can be an intricate and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Lacy Lakeview, Texas, and it is, in fact, much more intricate than the basic outline you just read.

Thus, it is crucial that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Lacy Lakeview, Texas.