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A civil lawsuit can seem complex and for the most of us confusing.

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Civil lawsuits aren't actually too hard to understand.

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We broke down the basic steps of the civil lawsuit process to help

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our clients better understand what exactly is going on with their lawsuit.

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A civil lawsuit,

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which is sometimes also called civil litigation,

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is a lawsuit based on non-criminal statutes,

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meaning it's a separate entity.

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From a criminal proceeding,

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a civil lawsuit is a dispute that's handled legally by the courts,

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such as a personal injury lawsuit.

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Civil litigation goes through specific steps or proceedings.

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First and foremost,

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you should consult with potential representatives for legal advice.

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Before anything else,

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it's important that you consult with a personal

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injury attorney about your potential personal injury lawsuit.

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You should also be sure that your case

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falls within the state statute of limitations.

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An open and honest consultation will give you the

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most accurate prediction of the outcome of your case.

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After an initial consultation,

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your civil lawsuit case will follow 4 common steps

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pleadings,

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discovery,

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trial,

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appeal.

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The pleadings are the initial step in the civil lawsuit.

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Each side or party will file paperwork in the

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right court to explain their side of the story.

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The person bringing the lawsuit or plaintiff will file the complaint.

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The person being alleged of wrongdoing or defendant will file an answer.

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Personal jurisdiction for a court to have personal jurisdiction over a defendant,

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the individual or company must have an

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appropriate relationship to the forum county,

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state,

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or federal district,

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and the defendant must be served properly.

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Subject matter jurisdiction,

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depending on the type of lawsuit you're filing,

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your case may be heard in either federal or state court venue.

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Your case must be filed in an appropriate court based on proximity to

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where the incident in question occurred or where the parties are located.

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The complaint is a formal document filed by the plaintiff with the court.

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The complaint generally contains an explanation for why the

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court holds jurisdiction over the case as well.

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The answer is a response to the plaintiff's complaint.

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The answer details the defendant's description of the events that led to

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the dispute outlining any inaccuracies or

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falsehoods that they find in the complaint.

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As a response to the replies or in the instance that one party

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requests clarification over legal theories or

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allegations in the other party's pleadings,

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a complaint or answer may be amended.

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After both parties have completed the pleading process,

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both parties will enter discovery.

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Discovery is a process in which both parties begin

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to obtain information to help strengthen their arguments.

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Each party will obtain evidence through demands for production of documents,

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depositions of parties and witnesses,

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written interrogatories,

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written requests for admissions of fact,

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and examination of the scene and the petitions

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and motions employed to enforce discovery rights.

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Before the trial begins,

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either during the discovery process or shortly after,

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parties may use motions to ask the court to rule or act.

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After discovery has ended,

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if the dispute is not resolved out of court,

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the civil lawsuit will move to trial

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before the trial begins,

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both parties will submit a brief to the judge.

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Trials involving a judge and no jury are referred to as bench trials,

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or the trial can be set to be decided by a jury.

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Once the trial begins,

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both parties present their opening statements.

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Opening statements are the brief outlines of the party's arguments.

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After opening statements are made,

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each party introduces its case.

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The plaintiff always presents its case first.

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The defense presents its case after.

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After the defense has presented its case,

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the plaintiff has one last opportunity to

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present additional evidence known as rebuttal evidence.

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Each party will present its case using evidence which can include documents,

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expert testimony,

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or exhibits that support its argument.

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After a witness is examined by one party,

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the opposing party can choose to cross-examine the witness.

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In a jury trial,

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after closing arguments,

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the jury deliberates for a period of time until a verdict is reached.

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In a bench trial,

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the judge deliberates for a period of time until a decision or verdict is reached.

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After the verdict is made,

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a party can choose to challenge the verdict.

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These challenges are more common during jury trials because errors and disregard

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of the law or legal definitions occur more often by juries.

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If a party does not agree with the result of the trial,

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they can appeal the decision.

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If a decision is appealed,

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then the civil lawsuit is presented to an appellate

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court that reviews the previous proceedings of the lawsuit.

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Each party will submit a brief and a record

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of evidence from trial to the appellate court.

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The appellate court looks for any errors in

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legality made during the pretrial or trial proceedings.

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After reviewing the proceedings,

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the appellate court releases an opinion,

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which is the appellate court's decision.

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The opinion can either affirm the verdict made by the trial court or find an error.