How to File a Lawsuit Without A Lawyer
So you have a valid reason to sue someone but you have shopped your lawsuit without a lawyer around to some lawyers but they all want way too much money to take on your lawsuit without a lawyer or they refuse to take your lawsuit without a lawyer because they don’t see much money in the lawsuit without a lawyer. No problem, why don’t you prosecute your own lawsuit without a lawyer? It just takes a basic understanding of the litigation process and an understanding of what to expect throughout the entire process.
Filing a lawsuit without a lawyer
You have decided to act as your own lawyer so you must think of yourself as a legal general contractor and piece together the legal support that will assist you throughout your lawsuit without a lawyer and help cut legal costs. Also, there are advantages to you handling your own lawsuit without a lawyer; the top advantage being the fact that you control every aspect of the lawsuit without a lawyer to include communication with the other side and you’re not depending on someone else to interpret the tone of the dialogue with the opposing side.
Piecing your legal team together
The first thing you need to find is a registered and bonded Legal Document Assistant. A legal Document Assistant cannot provide you with legal advice but they can provide you with legal information, legal research and they assist you in preparing your legal documents in an organized and professional manner.
Once you have found a good Legal Document Assistant, you must invest some time and energy researching local Limited Scope Attorneys. A Limited Scope Attorney is a lawyer who does not take over your lawsuit without a lawyer but will appear with you for hearings, court appearances and/or trial, if you don’t feel comfortable representing yourself in court. Something important to note, you will need to identify several Limited Scope Attorneys because one Limited Scope Attorney can appear for or with you in court a limited number of times so you want to ensure that you have a few Limited Scope Attorneys identified in the event that you have numerous procedural hearings. Now that you have found a good Legal Document Assistant, and you have identified a few Limited Scope Attorneys, it is time to work through and understand the litigation process.
Something important to note, you don’t need a lawyer present for some of the procedural hearings that you may have to attend because it will not necessarily require you to make a profound legal argument.
The lawsuit without a lawyer process
Let’s take a walk through an entire lawsuit without a lawyer (Remember, most lawsuit without a lawyers settle because it is cheaper to quit while your ahead, whether you are not paying for a costly Lawyer or not. There are opportunity costs to consider relating to your own time and energy and court fees associated to the filing of documents.):
- Lawsuit without a lawyer Filed – Consider jurisdiction, statute of limitations, etc.
- Complaint served – Complaint must be served within set number of days.
- Discovery May Start – All of the evidence you need to prove your lawsuit without a lawyer, questions, depositions, etc. can begin or noticed a set number of days after the complaint has been served. (The discovery phase can last eight to ten months)
- Defendant Files Responsive Pleading – Defendant has the option of filing an answer, motion to quash, demurrer or motion to strike among other less utilized pleadings in response to the lawsuit without a lawyer.
- Lawsuit without a lawyer Management Statement – You will need to file a lawsuit without a lawyer management statement a number of days prior to the lawsuit without a lawyer management conference.
- Lawsuit without a lawyer Management Conference – Judge typically sets dates and the two sides may discuss calendar dates of unavailability for certain hearings, trial, etc.
- Discovery Motion Cutoff – Discovery phase is cut off a number of days prior to trial.
- Mediation – Both sides are free to mediate anytime throughout the process.
- Trial Readiness Conference – Both parties file a trial readiness report a set number of weeks before trial date.
- Trial
For additional assistance in hiring a legal document assistant, we offer affordable and accurate legal document preparation services. Call us today for a free consultation toll free at 1-888-731-1500.
Luis Castro is the President of Superior Court Docs . Visit today for a free consultation and preparation of your legal paperwork.
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