A lawsuit begins by filing a complaint in the proper court. Unless yours is a very small case, with little damages and minor injuries, you should at least consult us. It costs you nothing. The person filing the complaint is called the plaintiff and person against whom the complaint is filed is called the defendant. The defendant must file an answer addressing the allegations contained in the complaint and must raise any defenses the defendant may have.

The defendant has a specified time in which to respond to the complaint/petition. If no response is received in the time specified, the plaintiff may file a Motion for Default with the Clerk's Office. Once the defendant files a response, or a Motion for Default is entered, it will be necessary for the plaintiff to ask the court to hear the case by motion.

The person filing the lawsuit is the “Plaintiff”, and the person being sued is the “Defendant.” The Plaintiff files an Original Petition (Original Complaint in Federal Court) with the Court Clerk. A constable or process server serves citation (a copy of the petition or complaint and notice to appear and file an answer) on the Defendant.

After the case is filed in court, the attorneys conduct "discovery," a legal term for the formal investigation techniques allowed by law. These techniques include sending written questions, asking for documents, and taking “depositions,” a formal interview of a witness under oath. Typically, there is also a need to hire expert witnesses who form opinions for trial and then have their depositions taken.

Your personal injury firm will determine the facts of your case and will contact the legal representation of the company or person you are filing a grievance against. Most personal injury cases are settled before any trial is needed. Your participation is very minimal. There generally is no trial, court appearance, or court testimony necessary. The two sides will typically settle out of court and your law firm will give you a check if you are awarded damages.

If one spouse fails to answer the petition, then the spouse that filed the petition for dissolution can attempt to obtain a default judgment of dissolution and have that judgment entered. However, there are important steps that the petitioning spouse needs to take to accomplish that. The spouse who does not file a response risks having orders entered concerning property division, support and custody.

In summary, the complaint alleges a conspiracy among Local 3 and several electrical contractors to eliminate competition by the plaintiffs in the market for telecommunications installation in the New York City metropolitan area.

We subscribe to and go beyond the SCIP (Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals) code of ethics. Since our inception in 1984, we have never had a lawsuit.