Litigation Lawyers in Merced

In Merced, California, "civil procedure" refers to the different processes and procedures that must be followed when conducting a civil lawsuit.

The civil procedure rules in Merced, California are designed around a few simple goals for the civil litigation system: efficiency, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and, most vitally, fairness.


Major Merced, California Civil Procedure Issues

Complaint: Perhaps the most important part of filing a lawsuit in Merced, California is the complaint. The complaint is a document filed with a Merced, California 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.


Discovery: Once both sides have fired their opening volleys in the form of the complaint and answer, the next process in civil litigation in Merced, California is discovery. Under the civil procedure rules of most jurisdictions in the U.S., each side of a lawsuit is required by law to disclose relevant information to the other side. These disclosures come in the form of depositions, the production of documents, and answers to written questions submitted by opposing counsel.

Trial: It is really quite rare for civil lawsuits in Merced, California to go to trial, since the rules of civil procedure in Merced strongly encourage early resolution to cases by dismissal of lawsuits that have no merit, and negotiated settlement of those that do. However, when neither of those things happen, the case goes to trial. This is when a judge and jury decide the questions of law and fact, respectively, raised in the case. The jury then issues a verdict, based on the evidence presented to them.

How Can a Merced, California Lawyer Help?

If you're suing someone, or are being sued, in Merced, California, dealing with issues of civil procedure is going to be a fact of life for quite some time.

Because the rules of civil procedure in Merced, California are complicated, it's smart to have the counsel of an accomplished attorney through every step of the process.