Gray, Meekins, Phillips & Mitchell
Attorneys at Law
Welcome to our lawfrim! We have several offices on the eastern shore & would love to help you with your civil case and give you a better understanding of the cilvil process!
Steps in a Civil Case
- You hire a lawyer who files a complaint with the proper court. A complaint is a formal statement naming the plaintiff & the defendant & describes the lawsuit.
- The court then sends the defendant a summons to appear in court at a given date and time. A summons is a document telling the defendant of the suit against them & orders them to appear in court on a certain day & time.
- Defendant may respond to the charges by having their own attorney and fill an answer to the complaint. Pleadings are the complaint & the answer together. Lawyers from both sides gather evidence to help their case.
- Pre-trial conference is the next step. This is where the judge might have both parties in a meeting to help clarify difference & prepare for the trial or agree to mediation or arbitration.
- Trail is next. If the parties do not settle, the case then goes to trial. The jury may be of 6-12 jurors OR a judge might hear the case alone. A) The plaintiff presents its side first then the defendant. B) Both sides then summarize their cases. C) The judge or the jury decide on the case based on the preponderance of evidence.
- 6. The verdict is either the defendant will pay or win & the plaintiff gets NADA & will have to pay court costs.
- If the defendant feels that the court case was wrongfully done they have all rights to appeal the case.
Examples of Lawsuit
- Property Disputes: If someone breaks into your car & causes damages.
- Contract Issues: If you break a signed contract
- Divorce: Who gets the house?!
- Negligence: Explaining the idea that an accident was caused by the careless actions of another person.
- Personal Injury: You've gotten into an auto accident.
A lawsuit is when one person sues another for damages.
Contact Our Main Office to Set Up an Appointment With One of Our Civil Case Lawyers!
Email: 726367@currituck.k12.nc.us
Location: 8364 Caratoke Highway, Powells Point, NC, United States
Phone: (252) 555-0125