CIVIL LITIGATION TIMELINE BASICS

The material below is for basic informational purposes only.

CONFLICT

     CASE ASSESSMENT

               Initial Meeting

               Don’t Forget to review Statute of Limitation

               Client Questionnaire

                            Sign up for Sample Questionnaires

Make Sure Case has damages and remedies (equitable or otherwise, even if nominal).

 

     PRE-LITIGATION Discovery

Some Statutes may be in place to allow you to gain documents for early case assessment prior to filing suit, such as FDCPA Debt Validation request, or RESPA Qualified Written Request, etc.

     EARLY NEGOTIATIONS AND SETTLEMENT

                        Demand Letter

                        Response or No Response To Demand Letter

                        Pretrial Settlement 

COMPLAINT FILED

FILE LAWSUIT

List Proper Causes of Action

 Make sure pleading presents enough evidence/facts to prove each element of each cause of  action

SERVICES OF PROCESS

SEND OPPOSING COUNSEL/PARTY YOUR INVOICES AND REQUEST SETTLEMENT

Throughout a Lawsuit send opposing counsel/party your invoices reflecting current cost of litigation on your side and request settlement so as not to incur more costs.  This helps preserve your attorney’s fees if you go to trial by showing the judge that you reasonably informed the other side of increasing costs and made numerous attempts to settle. Be sure not to disclose confidential information or attorney-client privileged information in your invoices.

PRE-ANSWER MOTIONS (OPTIONAL)

         Demurrer

         Motion to Dismiss

         Motion to Strike

Removal to Federal Court and/or Remand back to State Court (may occur at any time, but usually happens here)

ANSWER and/or AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES (REQUIRED)

               Answer

                    Admit Certain Facts

                    General Denial

                    Specific Denial

                    Qualified Denial – A Combination of General and Specific Denials

 

               Sample Affirmative Defenses:

                              Accord and Satisfaction

                              Arbitration and Award

                              Assumption of Risk

                              Comparative Fault Doctrine

                              Consent

                              Discharge in Bankruptcy

                              Duress

                              Estoppel

                              Releases

                              Statute of Limitations

                              Statute of Repose

                              Waiver

 

               Sample Procedural Affirmative Defenses

                              Res Judicata

                              Collateral Estoppel

                              Insufficiency of Process

                              Absence of Necessary Party

 

               If No Answer or Affirmative Defenses given timely file for Default against Defendant.

POST-ANSWER MOTIONS (OPTIONAL)

               Judgment on the Pleadings

               Summary Judgment

DISCOVERY (OPTIONAL)

      Exchange of Interrogatories

               Request for Production of Documents

               Request for Admissions

               Subpoenas

                Expert Witnesses Interviews

                Computer Forensics

               Translation of Documents

               Court Reporting

               Depositions

PRE-TRIAL PREPARATIONS

               Depositions Abstracted

               Witnesses Contacted

               Demonstrative Evidence is Prepared

               Trial Exhibit Labeling

PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS

               Motion To Sever Or Bifurcate

               Motions To Consolidate Or Coordinate

               Motions For Judgment On The Pleadings (see Post-Answer Motions)

               Motion for Summary Judgment (see Post-Answer Motions)

               Motions To Amend Pleadings

               Motions To Disqualify Opposing Counsel

               Motions For The Exclusion Of Witnesses From The Courtroom

               Motions To Exclude Spectators

               Motions For Voluntary Dismissal

               Motions In Limine

TRIAL

               Jury Selection

               Trial

                       Opening Statements From Both Parties

                       Plaintiff Presents its Case First

                       Defendant Presents its side of the Case

                       Trial Begins

                            Direct Examination

                            Cross-Examination

                            Call Expert Witnesses

                       Motions During Trial

                            Motion for Directed Verdict (also called Judgment as a Matter of Law)

                            Motion for Mistrial

                            Motion for Nonsuit

                            Motion for Voluntary Dismissal 

                            Motion To Amend Pleadings To Conform To Proof

                            Motion To Reopen Case In Chief

                            Motion for Recess Or Continuance Of Trial

                            Contempt Proceedings

                       Plaintiff Rebuttal

                       Defendant Rebuttal

                       Closing Arguments

               Jury Instructions

                       Jury Deliberations

               Judgment

POST-TRIAL MOTIONS

Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict (Judgment as a Matter of Law)

 Motion for a New Trial

         Motion to Vacate Judgment

         Motion to Correct Judgment for Clerical Error

         Motion to Set Aside VOID Judgment

         Motion for Relief From Judgment

         Motion for Stay of Enforcement of Judgment

         Motion For Additur (to increase the amount of damages)

         Motion For Remittitur (to lower the amount of damages)

         Motion For Amending Findings of Fact

         Motion For Amended Conclusions of Law

         Final Judgment

APPEAL