Litigation Lawyers in Snohomish County

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

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

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

Major Snohomish County, Washington Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: When somebody believes that they have suffered a legal wrong in Snohomish County, Washington, and decide to file a lawsuit, the first document that they file with the court is normally the complaint. The complaint is very important, because it can frame the factual and legal issues, and set the tone, for the rest of the process. The complaint usually contains every factual allegation against the defendant that forms the basis of the plaintiff's lawsuit. It also contains a prayer for relief, in which the plaintiff lays out his or her desired remedies, if the court finds the defendant liable.

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: Once both sides have fired their opening volleys in the form of the complaint and answer, the next process in civil litigation in Snohomish County, Washington is discovery. Under the civil procedure rules of most jurisdictions in the U.S., each side of a lawsuit is required 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: It is really quite rare for civil lawsuits in Snohomish County, Washington to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Snohomish County 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 Snohomish County, Washington Lawyer Help?

If you are dealing with a lawsuit in Snohomish County, Washington, it's almost certain that you will have to deal with issues concerning civil procedure.

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