If an individual believes they’ve been wrongfully damaged by another party, they’re allowed to bring them to court and seek money or other forms of compensation. These are called civil disputes: while criminal cases oversee disputes between citizens and the state, civil cases use the court system to settle those between citizens. If you’ve been involved in a civil dispute or are contemplating filing a lawsuit, contact an attorney immediately. Here’s what you can expect when heading into a civil case.

Investigation

During the investigation, attorneys of each side assemble the facts that will form the outline of their case. This includes testimony from the defendant and plaintiff, causes of action, and possible excuses.

Pleadings

Your attorney will draft a pleading and submit it to the court. A plaintiff submitting a pleading must file a complaint, which includes their understanding of what occurred and what they seek from the defendant. The defendant’s attorney will file an answer, which might cover a different set of facts or conditions that exclude the defendant from liability.

Discovery

Attorneys usually spend most of their time in the discovery phase of the case. It’s where they assemble their side of the story, bringing relevant facts, arguments, and analyses together to present a case to the court. During this phase, they might gather information using depositions and interrogatories — under-oath demands for information from primary and third parties.

Pretrial Proceedings

When both attorneys are ready to present the case, a judge or other representative of the justice system might bring both parties to meet, discussing possibly settlements, discouraging wasteful or detrimental activities prior to the trial, and handing down instructions on how the trial is to proceed.

Settlement or Trial

If both parties agree to a settlement in the pretrial proceeding, then the case doesn’t go to court. In this case, the settlement is paid and the civil dispute is ended; if no settlement is made, both attorneys present their cases to the judge and/or jury, and a ruling is made.

If you’ve been involved in any civil dispute, the quicker you speak with a lawyer, the better chances you’ll have of finding a good outcome. Zangari COHN Cuthberson PC attorneys have been winning civil cases for clients across the tri-state area since 1946. Whether you’re filing or defending against a lawsuit, they’ll make sure your civil dispute comes a dignified, fair end. They can be reached by their New Haven phone number at (203) 789-0001, Rhode Island phone number at (401) 244-9048, or by visiting their website.