Litigation Lawyers in Sun Prairie

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

In Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, the civil procedure rules are meant to ensure that the civil litigation system is as efficient, accessible, fair, and cost-effective as possible.

Civil litigation, however, is inherently complex. So, there is no getting around the fact that the civil procedure rules in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin are also going to be somewhat complicated and obtuse (or at least parts of them are). Remember, these rules govern every single thing that happens in a civil lawsuit, from the first complaint, to the last appeal.

Major Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most important part of filing a lawsuit in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Sun Prairie, Wisconsin court that lays out the plaintiff's (the person filing the suit) allegations against the defendant (the person being sued), as well as the relief that the plaintiff is seeking from the court.

Answer: For the defendant, the answer is usually the first document they file in a lawsuit. As the name suggests, it "answers" the plaintiff's complaint. The answer typically denies most, or all, of the allegations made by the plaintiff. If the allegations are factually correct, and the defendant knows this, the defendant might admit that the allegations are true, but because of extenuating circumstances, they should not be held liable. For example, in a lawsuit for battery, a defendant might admit that they did strike the plaintiff, but claim that they were acting in self-defense, which would negate or weaken the plaintiff's case.

Discovery: After the complaint has been filed in the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin 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's quite rare for lawsuits in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin to go to trial. Sun Prairie's civil procedure rules actually discourage trials, and instead 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 Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Lawyer Help?

If you are facing a legal issue of any kind in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, you are going to encounter civil procedure issues.

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