Civil Law Suits

A contingency fee agreement is one in which an attorney works for her client for free unless the attorney wins the client's case. If the attorney wins the case, she is entitled to a substantial...

When you receive notice of a lawsuit filed with your state's small claims court, you need to turn your thoughts to your defense. In most states, you don't have to have a lawyer to defend you, but...

There a numerous reasons you may want to dismiss a small claims case. If you and the opposing party have reached an out-of-court settlement, dismissing the case is appropriate. You also may...

It is not uncommon for a health insurance provider to deny a claim for medical devices. If you receive a denial, do not be discouraged; you can appeal the denial if the medical device is covered...

Handling your own car accident claim with an insurance company is a difficult feat, which is why many claimants seek the assistance of an attorney. If you cannot afford representation, however, or...

Immediately after a car accident, the last thing you'll likely be thinking about is insurance information. How much coverage you and the other driver have, however, is one of the most important...

So you've received a summons to appear in court for a credit card debt. What this means is that a creditor has decided to sue you in a civil court case for a debt you owe. You may not have heard...

You won the arbitration and the dispute is over--or maybe not. Until you collect the award, you still have further work to do. The first step is to simply request payment. If that does not produce...

A subpoena is a legal instrument that compels some type of action. A subpoena can be issued only by judges, courts, government prosecutors or parties to a civil suit. As the party to a civil suit,...

Small-claims court is designed to allow individuals a speedy and uncomplicated method for resolving claims for damages that fall under a certain amount (usually $3,000, $5,000 or $10,000,...

An auto accident claim can include a variety of damages for your property loss and injuries. Property loss includes damages to your car that result in repair costs and related costs for towing...

Small-claims court is sometimes called the people's court because you can't have a lawyer represent you. It is designed to quickly and inexpensively settle claims that amount to $7,500 or less.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer resulting from exposure to asbestos. Many people who are diagnosed with this cancer have worked in facilities where they inhaled the asbestos particles. ...

Civil court actions are lawsuits filed by a plaintiff against a defendant. Each civil action is docketed by a court and tracked. Every pleading that is filed in connection with the civil action...

A marriage contract is a legal agreement between two people. The contract identifies the two people entering into the agreement and outlines the purpose it will serve. Included in the marriage...

When faced with overwhelming financial hardship, bankruptcy may be a very logical and suitable solution. While it is obvious that your creditors will be notified of your filing, you should also be...

You make a civil court case by filing a civil complaint against one or more defendants and then formally serving those defendants with a copy of the complaint. The complaint can cover any legal or...

County Court judgments are made by County Courts in England and Wales. The judgments are entered on the Register of County Court Judgments, which can be checked by anyone to assess the...

A judgment is an order entered on a court's docket that signifies that a plaintiff has prevailed in his case against a defendant. Most courts call the judgment an entry or order of judgment. The...

The large majority of lawsuits are tried in state court. You may file suit in federal district court only if the court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of the lawsuit and the parties...

Each court system has its own rules for filing documents and claims, including electronic submissions. Within the federal system, each district has its own local rules with some districts...

The statute of limitations is a law governing the time frame in which a civil lawsuit must be filed in court. If a lawsuit is not brought before the deadline established by the statute of...

One of the most devastating things some parents face is the sexual abuse of their children. If you find yourself dealing with the aftermath of an assault on your child by a sexual predator, you...

Sealing a criminal record is a legal process in which a court orders that the file be effectively erased. The process by which the record is sealed and the difficulty in doing so will vary...

How a civil court case is dismissed depends a whole lot on who's doing the dismissing. It's usually easier for the person bringing the suit to have it voluntarily dismissed than for the person...

Tractor-trailer crashes implicate both state and federal laws and must be carefully preserved in order for the victim to obtain fair compensation for his or her injuries

Small claims court is a convenient method of resolving disputes involving small amounts of money---in most jurisdictions, $2,500 or less. After you file your claim, you will be assigned a hearing...

A number of laws directly focus on medical practices. These laws can have profound effects on care delivery, paperwork processing methods and business practices within the health care industry....

In thinking of civil court, most people conjure an image of a lively trial. The reality is that the vast majority of work done in a civil court is far more low-key. For example, in any given civil...

Need personal injury settlement averages for your upcoming case? Read on to find out about personal injury compensation and personal injury trial lawyers, among other information about personal...

A supplemental garnishment is a post-judgment collection procedure by which a creditor seeks to attach a portion of the wages of a debtor for satisfaction of a judgment for money damages. In order...

Using email records in court falls under the broad topic of electronic discovery. Electronic discovery covers not only email, but also servers, archives, digital images, voice mail, word...

Divorce is often a painful process, and paying an attorney can make it even more painful. It might make sense to file your own divorce so you can avoid paying an attorney to do your paperwork.

Whether you are a party to a civil lawsuit or just a witness with relevant information about the case, you will likely have to testify in court at some point during the trial. Offering testimony...

A garnishment is a post-judgment collection procedure authorized by law in which a judgment creditor seeks to obtain satisfaction on his judgment by attaching a portion of a debtor's weekly wages....

When a civil suit is settled out of court or through arbitration, the process of paying the damages begins. Cases in small-claims court can be paid in cash or by check to the plaintiff, but...

A personal injury lawsuit begins when the right paperwork is filed at the right courthouse. A good starting point to find this information will be the clerk's office at the courthouse in the...

If you are being sued in civil court, you have received a summons and complaint, containing the allegations or claims against you. You must respond to the summons and complaint by drafting an...

In order for a defendant or plaintiff to be completely free of any additional claims regarding a civil suit, a good faith settlement is made to protect all parties involved.

Wiping an eviction off your record can be a real challenging thing to do. If you don't, credit agencies will keep it on your record for seven to10 years, which may be an imposition for anyone...

A summons petition (sometimes called a complaint) is the formal instigation of a civil lawsuit. In it, the defendant lists all the allegations leading to the complaint and makes a claim for...

Civil litigation lawyers handle a wide array of different types of cases. With that noted, in this day and age most civil litigation attorneys specialize in a particular area of the law. In...

Vehicle depreciation, known as "diminution" or "loss of value" in U.S. law, is the difference in value of property value immediately preceding and directly following its damage. In auto liability,...

A court schedule is the calendar of upcoming matters waiting to be heard by the court. Court schedules typically list all matters for the current month, along with the judge assigned to the case,...

A great deal of information is now widely available through both online and offline resources to help those handling their own auto accident claims. Many individuals choose to represent...

Whether you are pursuing a lawsuit or have received a summons to appear in court, finding a good civil attorney who can manage your case effectively can mean the difference between winning and...

Hiring a lawyer is an important step. You should find someone you trust and with whom you can develop a good working relationship. It's not difficult to retain a lawyer, since that's how most...

A subpoena is a formal legal document, specifically, a writ that commands one party in a lawsuit to take a specified action during the discovery phase. Subpoenas are typically drafted by the...

Filing for your small claims case with the court clerk is the easy part. The most difficult feat is getting over your jitters and speaking to the judge on the day of your case in a clear, concise...

A small claims suit is a civil case between two parties, or litigants. The court proceedings will take place in a civil court, also called a county court, and the proceedings are under the...