Litigation Lawyers in New London

Residents of New London, 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 considering filing a lawsuit, there are numerous 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 New London, Wisconsin civil litigation attorney first.

Your New London, Wisconsin civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best options 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 New London, Wisconsin

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

Drafting The Complaint: Once you decide that pursuing a lawsuit in New London, Wisconsin civil court is worth your time and effort, you need to file a complaint. The complaint can set the tone, and frame the issues, for the rest of the litigation process, which can drag on for months, or even years (and decades, in some cases). This is because the complaint lays out all the allegations against the defendant. It also normally asks the court for specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: Once you have drafted your complaint, you need to serve the defendant with it, and file it with the court. New London, Wisconsin requires that lawsuits be served on defendants in a particular way. This is to ensure that the defendant has a good deal of notice that they're being sued, giving them time to find an attorney, and work on how they're going to defend themselves. It is strongly preferred to serve defendants in person (with a disinterested third party delivering the papers to the defendant). Sometimes, however, the defendant cannot be found, or is trying to avoid service, they can be served by mail with court approval.

Await Defendant's Response: In New London, Wisconsin, the law gives civil defendants a fairly long period of time (a month or two normally) to respond to a lawsuit against them. The most frequent response is either an answer (where they address the factual allegations against them, normally denying most or all of the allegations) or a motion to dismiss (where the contend that, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, those facts would not establish liability). If the defendant does nothing, and fails to respond, they run the risk of having a default judgment entered against them. This normally means that the court automatically rules against them, treating the plaintiff as if they won the lawsuit. This gives the plaintiff a judgment against the defendant, which they can seek to collect using all legal means.

How Can A New London, Wisconsin Tort Lawyer Help?

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

Therefore, it is critical that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in New London, Wisconsin.