Litigation Lawyers in Smithville

If you are a resident of Smithville, 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 Smithville, Texas before you proceed.

The Smithville, Texas attorney you end up retaining will be able to advise you on whether you have a good case. If you do, they will further advise you on your best options on how to proceed. Your lawyer can also inform you about what their fees are, and if they have multiple payment options.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Smithville, Texas

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in Smithville, Texas, you should seek the advice and counsel of a reliable Smithville, Texas attorney. He or she will be indispensable in helping you succeed in your lawsuit.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you determine that pursuing a lawsuit in Smithville, 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 and your attorney have written a good complaint, and filed it with the court, it needs to be served on the defendant within a specific period of time. This is necessary under the law of Smithville, Texas 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 Smithville, Texas, the law gives civil defendants a fairly long period of time (a month or two typically) to respond to a lawsuit against them. The most prevalent response is either an answer (where they address the factual allegations against them, typically 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 typically 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 Smithville, Texas Tort Lawyer Help?

The basic outline above does not come close to covering all the specifics involved in filing a lawsuit in Smithville, Texas.

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