Litigation Lawyers in Black Diamond

In Black Diamond, 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 Black Diamond, Washington are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, inexpensive, simple, and fair as possible.

In Black Diamond, Washington, civil litigation is frequently 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 Black Diamond, Washington Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The initial, and perhaps most significant, part of filing a lawsuit in Black Diamond, Washington is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Black Diamond, 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 Black Diamond, 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: It's quite rare for lawsuits in Black Diamond, Washington to go to trial. Black Diamond's civil procedure rules truly discourage trials, and alternatively have designed the system so that it's almost always more cost-effective to settle out of court. Nonetheless, if this is not possible, the matter will go to trial, where a judge and/or jury will decide the factual questions, and then award the appropriate relief (if any) to the prevailing party.

How Can a Black Diamond, Washington Lawyer Help?

If you are facing a legal issue of any sort in Black Diamond, Washington, you are going to confront civil procedure issues.

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