Litigation Lawyers in Lexington

In Lexington, 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 Lexington, 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 Lexington, 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 Lexington, Virginia Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: In Lexington, Virginia the initial step in suing somebody (after speaking with a lawyer to determine if you have a case) is usually filing a complaint. The complaint is also one of the most significant documents in the civil litigation process. By laying out the wrongs that the plaintiff alleges the defendant has committed, as well as the remedies that the plaintiff wants the court to provide, it can set the tone for the entire rest of the case.

Answer: The answer is a document filed by the defendant, in response to a complaint. The answer usually contains a few things: typically, it denies most of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If it does not deny the factual assertions in the complaint, it will usually raise legal defenses, known as affirmative defenses, arguing that even if everything the plaintiff alleges is true, the defendant should not be held liable, because of extenuating circumstances.

Discovery: Once both sides have fired their opening volleys in the form of the complaint and answer, the next procedure in civil litigation in Lexington, Virginia is discovery. Under the civil procedure rules of most jurisdictions in the U.S., each side of a lawsuit is obligated by law to disclose relevant information to the other side. These disclosures come in the form of depositions, the production of documents, and answers to written questions submitted by opposing counsel.

Trial: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in Lexington, Virginia, it is actually very rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Lexington is designed to encourage early settlement of cases, or dismissal of cases that don't have any legal or factual merit. Nonetheless, in the rare cases when the case is not dismissed, and the parties can't reach a settlement, the matter will go to trial. A trial is the most visible aspect of civil litigation, and it is the stage when all of the legal and factual questions raised by both parties are resolved by a judge and jury, respectively.

How Can a Lexington, Virginia Lawyer Help?

If you're suing anyone, or are being sued, in Lexington, Virginia, dealing with issues of civil procedure is going to be a fact of life for quite some time.

The rules of civil procedure in Lexington, Virginia are not always simple or intuitive. With that in mind, it's very important to have a reputable attorney on your side, to help you through the process.