Litigation Lawyers in Kent
In Kent, Washington, civil procedure is precisely what it sounds like: it refers to the rules that govern how civil litigation is conducted.
The rules of civil procedure in Kent, Washington are designed to make the process of civil litigation as efficient, cost-effective, simple, and fair as possible.
In Kent, Washington, civil litigation is typically extremely intricate. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that the rules of civil procedure can also be fairly confusing. After all, they govern everything from the first document filed by the plaintiff, to the last ruling issued by an appeals court.
Major Kent, Washington Civil Procedure Issues
Complaint: The first, and perhaps most important, part of filing a lawsuit in Kent, Washington is the complaint. The complaint is filed with the court in Kent, 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 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 Kent, 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 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 Kent, Washington to go to trial. Kent'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. However, if this is not possible, the matter will go to trial, where a judge and/or jury will determine the factual questions, and then award the appropriate relief (if any) to the prevailing party.
How Can a Kent, Washington Lawyer Help?
If you're suing someone, or are being sued, in Kent, Washington, dealing with issues of civil procedure is going to be a fact of life for quite some time.
Because the rules of civil procedure in Kent, Washington are intricate, it's smart to have the counsel of an efficient attorney through every step of the process.
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