Civil Litigation: Taking Legal Action Against A Non-Criminal Case

Litigation is defined as a lawsuit. Hence, criminal litigation (or lawsuit/action) means taking legal action against a criminal claim or prosecuting a criminal case. Civil litigation means taking legal action against a non-criminal case, most likely to reimburse wrong doing by the means of money. Civil actions include products liability actions, personal injury suits, probate actions, environmental law, education law, and domestic relations. Most cases in the country are variations of civil litigation. These types of lawsuits are often settled before making it to trial. The stages of civil litigation include the preparation for trial, pretrial conferences, the trial, and post trial procedures. Each stage has sub-stages within it. The preparation …show more content…
The facts between both parties are gathered and jurisdiction and venue is decided by the attorney. If the lawsuit isn't worked out by this time the plaintiff and his/her/their attorney sends a summons and complaint to the defendant. Once the defendant answers the complaint by either admitting or denying, the discovery stage is implemented. During this stage, both parties gather facts as it ascertains to the trail. These facts are retrieved by oral and written discovery, mostly per dispositions, interrogatories, and subpoenas. The discovery stage is the most time consuming for the attorneys. The pretrial conferences prelude discovery. The attorneys, without the clients being present, try to agree on stipulations. If agreed upon, the trial isn't needed. But if the case isn't settled, it goes to trial. Once the date for the trial is set, a jury is selected, if a bench trial isn't preferable. In the trial, the plaintiff is first to make the opening statements, and then the defendant. Evidence is then shared with the jury and witnesses are questioned. Finally, closing statements are made by both the plaintiff and defendant. After the closing statements are made the judge gives