Litigation Lawyers in Bellingham
In Bellingham, Washington, civil procedure is precisely what it sounds like: it refers to the laws that control how civil litigation is done.
The rules of civil procedure in Bellingham, Washington are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, low-cost, simple, and fair as possible.
In Bellingham, Washington, civil litigation is usually extremely confusing. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that the rules of civil procedure can also be fairly complicated. After all, they govern everything from the first document filed by the plaintiff, to the last ruling issued by an appeals court.
Major Bellingham, Washington Civil Procedure Issues
Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Bellingham, Washington is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Bellingham, Washington that's responsible for handling civil trials. It lists everything that the plaintiff (the person who is suing) alleges against the defendant (the person the plaintiff is suing). Typically, but not always, the end of the complaint will contain a "prayer for relief." The prayer for relief is just a statement of what the plaintiff is asking the court to do to remedy the harm that the defendant allegedly caused.
Answer: The answer is a document filed by the defendant, in response to a complaint. The answer typically contains a few things: normally, it denies most of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If it does not deny the factual assertions in the complaint, it will typically 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: After the complaint has been filed in the Bellingham, Washington court of competent jurisdiction, the next important phase is the discovery process. In a civil lawsuit, there are not supposed to be any surprises (so the dramatic moments you see in TV trials are largely fiction). This predictability largely comes from the discovery process. Each side of the lawsuit has to disclose information relevant to the lawsuit to the other. This information can be acquired by sending the other side written questions, which must be answered under oath, demanding access to documents, and deposing witnesses.
Trial: Although the trial is arguably the most dramatic element of civil procedure in Bellingham, Washington, it is truly very rare for civil lawsuits to make it this far. Civil procedure in Bellingham 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 Bellingham, Washington Lawyer Help?
If you're facing any substantial legal issue in Bellingham, Washington, you can be pretty much sure that you'll face at least a few procedural complications that can hold up the process.
Civil Procedure in Bellingham, Washington can be pretty confusing. It's always a good idea to have a lawyer who can advise you on how best to deal with these civil procedure issues.
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