Litigation Lawyers in South Salt Lake

If you are a resident of South Salt Lake, Utah 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 retain a seasoned attorney from South Salt Lake, Utah before you proceed.

Once you retain a South Salt Lake, Utah litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Additionally, your lawyer can inform you on what a lawsuit is likely to cost, both in time and money. Obviously, your lawyer has some control over what it will cost you, based on their fees, and whether they bill an hourly rate, or charge on a contingency rate.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in South Salt Lake, Utah

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in South Salt Lake, Utah, you should seek the advice and counsel of a seasoned South Salt Lake, Utah 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 South Salt Lake, Utah 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 normally 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 particular period of time. This is necessary under the law of South Salt Lake, Utah 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.

Awaiting the Defendant's Response: Once a lawsuit has been filed, and the defendant has been served in South Salt Lake, Utah, the defendant has time to respond. They normally do so by drafting an answer to the complaint, in which they deny the plaintiff's allegations, or assert a legal defense. If the defendant fails to respond within a set period of time, they will be in default, and you may be able to get a "default judgment" against them, in which all of your allegations against the defendant are viewed as if the defendant admitted them, and you only need to show that you've suffered losses that warrant the damages you're asking for.

How Can A South Salt Lake, Utah Tort Lawyer Help?

This simple outline is meant to give you a basic idea of what goes into filing a lawsuit in South Salt Lake, Utah, but it is by no means a comprehensive guide.

You should seek the advice of a reliable litigation attorney if you are planning on filing a lawsuit against somebody who you think has wronged you in South Salt Lake, Utah.