Filing a Lawsuit in Janesville, Wisconsin

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Litigation Lawyers in Janesville

Residents of Janesville, Wisconsin who suffer legal wrongs are normally legally entitled to compensation for harm they incurred as a result. This compensation is normally obtained by filing a lawsuit.

If you're contemplating filing a lawsuit, there are several things you need to consider, and it is not a decision to be made lightly. You should not file a lawsuit without seeking the advice of a Janesville, Wisconsin civil litigation attorney first.

Your Janesville, Wisconsin civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best avenues on how to proceed. The attorney will also discuss with you the fees for their services, and whether he or she can represent you on a contingency basis.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Janesville, Wisconsin

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in Janesville, Wisconsin, you should seek the advice and counsel of a seasoned Janesville, Wisconsin attorney. He or she will be indispensable in helping you succeed in your lawsuit.

Drafting the complaint: In Janesville, Wisconsin, once you have decided to file a lawsuit, the initial thing you normally have to do is draft a complaint. The complaint is a document that contains all of the allegations you're making against the defendant (the person whom you are suing). It normally must allege all of the facts necessary to constitute a cause of action, though in some systems, very few facts are strictly required to be alleged. It also usually has, at the end, a "prayer" (request) for relief. This final section tells the court what type of relief the plaintiff wants, should the court rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving the Defendant: When you have determined that you want to file a lawsuit in Janesville, Wisconsin, and have drafted the complaint, your next important step is to file the complaint with the court, and serve it on the defendant. The defendant must be given at least several weeks' notice that they're being sued, and as much time to review the complaint. This is a matter of general fairness and due process, and allows the defendant to hire a lawyer and get to work on a defense. The law requires that the defendant be served in a few certain ways. The initial choice is to give it to them in person. This has to be done by a person who does not have any direct involvement in the lawsuit. If that isn't possible, the defendant can be served by giving the complaint to another adult member of their household; this is called substituted service.

Await The Response: The defendant has a specific amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Janesville, Wisconsin. The defendant will likely respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Usually, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for instance, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a specific period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Janesville, Wisconsin Tort Lawyer Help?

As you can see, it can be a complex and difficult process to file a lawsuit in Janesville, Wisconsin, and it is, in fact, much more complex than the basic outline you just read.

Thus, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Janesville, Wisconsin, you should not delay to talk with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.

Talk to a Law Attorney now!

Life in Janesville

With a population of 61,310 Janesville, Wisconsin has it all. Janesville is located in South Central Wisconsin and was founded in 1835. Since its founding, the charming city has done nothing but grow and prosper. Janesville was named after an early settler to the town -- Henry James.

Janesville was the site of the first Wisconsin State Fair in 1851, an event that over 10,000 people attended. It is no wonder then that so many people enjoy visiting and living in Janesville. Janesville is also home to lots of historical homes, in fact 20% of the nationally registered historic homes in Wisconsin are in Janesville. Aptly named "City of Parks," Janesville has an extensive park system that includes nature trails, boat lakes, and 53 parks in total.

Janesville is also home to some interesting legal history. Janesville lawyers are some of the best in the business and Janesville is also home to Wisconsin's first female lawyer --Lavinia Goddell in 1874. In addition to lawyers, there are lots of other great business and industry which make the city a great place to start a career.

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