How to Prevent Delays in a Court Proceeding

You can’t control every possibility for delays in a court proceeding, but you can contribute to the prevention of some delays. Here are a few suggestions of how to prevent delays in a court proceeding.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Date book
• Compliance with court rules

1. When you’re at mediation and the mediator selects a date for your trial, make sure you have your date book on you so that you can know whether or not you will be available on the date suggested.
2. When you’re checking for trial dates make sure that you are clear of your vacation holidays, special family events that you can’t miss, delivery days for a new baby or scheduled surgery for yourself or family member or religious holidays.
3. If a trial date is set by the court and when you receive your notice for trial you see that the date isn’t good for you, notify the court and the other party immediately so that that trial date can be adjourned and put to an agreeable date for you.
4. If you know that the court is going to set the trial date and you have days that you know you cannot attend, then notify the court before they set the date so they can avoid scheduling trial at that time.
5. Don’t bring forth new evidence on the day of trial because that evidence will either not be considered or it will be the cause for the trial to be delayed. Make sure all your evidence is put in to the court and to the other party in the proper time before your trial date.
6. Don’t change lawyers or decide to hire a lawyer right before the trial date. If you do, the trial could be delayed so that the new counsel can get up to speed on the facts and on the evidence.

Tips & Warnings

• Then, of course, you could always prevent delays permanently by settling the matter outside of court.