At Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, we understand how disruptive a lawsuit can be for our clients. As attorneys, our job is to minimize that burden by ensuring the many procedures leading up to a trial don’t interfere with your day to day life.
Here’s a breakdown of those steps, and what you can expect along the way:
- Complaint Is Filed: All civil cases begin with the filing of a complaint. This will be the document our team submits to the court, stating that our client seeks damages for the defendant’s unjust actions.
- Complaint Is Then Answered by Defendants: Once the complaint has been filed, the defendants are required to respond. In their answer, the defendants commonly provide their own account of the events surrounding the complaint or argue that the complaint should be dismissed. Once answered, however, our firm notices your case for trial, unlike many other firms. We want the pressure to build on the defendant(s).
- Discovery Takes Place: After the defendants provide their answer, discovery begins. In general, discovery consists of the questioning of everyone involved in the case to gather the supporting evidence behind both side’s claims. Much of this questioning occurs during depositions, in which the plaintiffs and defendants provide their responses.
- Case Is Deemed Ready for Trial: When discovery has finished, the trial is ready to begin. In most circumstances, a case enters pre-trial mediation, where it has a strong chance of being settled.
In Summary
While these early steps in the legal process are not discussed as frequently as the trial phase, they are crucial to ensuring a case is successful down the line. To achieve that requires a diverse and experienced team, with expertise in all stages of the legal process. We are that team, and we will be dedicated to getting you the justice you deserve.