Litigation Lawyers in Hoquiam

In Hoquiam, Washington, civil procedure is exactly what it sounds like: it refers to the rules that govern how civil litigation is conducted.

The rules of civil procedure in Hoquiam, Washington are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, affordable, simple, and fair as possible.

In Hoquiam, Washington, civil litigation is often extremely complicated. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that the rules of civil procedure can also be fairly complex. After all, they govern everything from the first document filed by the plaintiff, to the last ruling issued by an appeals court.

Major Hoquiam, Washington Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: The first, and perhaps most important, part of filing a lawsuit in Hoquiam, Washington is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Hoquiam, 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). Usually, but not always, the end of the complaint will contain a "prayer for relief." The prayer for relief is simply a statement of what the plaintiff is asking the court to do to remedy the harm that the defendant allegedly caused.

Answer: After the plaintiff files the complaint, the defendant has to act. While they have a few options at this stage of the game, most defendants elect to file an answer. The answer is the defendant's first direct response to the plaintiff's allegations. Sometimes, the answer contains a general denial, in which the defendant simply denies everything the plaintiff alleges. It might also contain a point-by-point addressing of every allegation the plaintiff makes, denying some, and admitting some.

Discovery: After the complaint has been filed in the Hoquiam, Washington court of competent jurisdiction, the next major 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 obtained by sending the other side written questions, which must be answered under oath, demanding access to documents, and deposing witnesses.

Trial: It is actually quite rare for civil lawsuits in Hoquiam, Washington to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Hoquiam strongly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. However, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury decide 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 Hoquiam, Washington Lawyer Help?

If you're facing any significant legal issue in Hoquiam, Washington, you can be pretty much certain that you'll face at least a few procedural complications that can hold up the process.

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