Litigation Lawyers in Glen Allen

In Glen Allen, Virginia, civil procedure is exactly what it sounds like: it refers to the laws that control how civil litigation is done.

The rules of civil procedure in Glen Allen, Virginia are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, low-cost, simple, and fair as possible.

The rules of civil procedure in Glen Allen, Virginia are sometimes perplexing. Because civil litigation is an inherently complex process, the rules that govern how it proceeds can't be simple, either. They govern every step of the litigation process, from filing the initial complaint, all the way to the final appeals process.

Major Glen Allen, Virginia Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The complaint is probably the most important document that the plaintiff will file in a Glen Allen, Virginia lawsuit, and it is usually the first. The complaint contains all of the plaintiff's allegations against the defendant, as well as the relief that the plaintiff is asking the court to provide. Therefore, it can frame the tone, as well as the legal and factual issues, that will dominate the rest of the case.

Answer: The answer is usually the first document that the defendant files, and it is meant to serve as a direct response to the plaintiff's complaint. It usually denies all of the plaintiff's major allegations. It might also lay out affirmative defenses. An "affirmative defense" is a set of reasons that negate the defendant's liability even if their conduct would ordinarily be unlawful. For example, in a lawsuit for battery, a defendant might admit that he struck the plaintiff, but claim that he acted in self-defense. If that can be shown, it would negate, or mitigate, his liability to the plaintiff.

Discovery: The civil procedure rules in Glen Allen, Virginia were written with the purpose of, among other things, preventing surprises. For that reason, everyone involved in a lawsuit goes into trial with a pretty good idea of what evidence the other side has. This is largely because of the discovery procedure, during which the attorneys for both sides are obligated to disclose (with some exemptions) all information relevant to the trial which they have in their possession. These disclosures come in several forms, such as simply sending boxes of documents, deposing witnesses, or submitting written questions to the other side, which the recipient is obligated to answer under oath.

Trial: It is actually quite rare for civil lawsuits in Glen Allen, Virginia to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Glen Allen highly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. Nonetheless, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury determine the questions of law and fact, respectively, raised in the case. The jury then issues a verdict, based on the evidence presented to them.

How Can a Glen Allen, Virginia Lawyer Help?

If you're facing a lawsuit in Glen Allen, Virginia whether as the plaintiff or defendant, you will have to interact with your jurisdiction's civil procedure rules.

It should go without saying that you should have a Glen Allen, Virginia attorney on hand to deal with any civil procedure issues that you're almost sure to face, if you're involved in a lawsuit.