Michealson Law Firm
We help you, when others won't!
We know it's scary going into a law suit for the first time...
We are sure you might need some help with things, especially terms like these...
A Plaintiff: The plaintiff is the person or group that brings the case into court against another person or group.
A Defendant: The defendant is the accused group or person.
Complaint: This is a legal document that outlines the facts or the case and the legal reasons that the case should be in court.
Summons: A legal document that orders a person's appearance in court.
Pleading: Each side of the case will formally submit their claims and defenses.
A Pretrial Conference: This is a short meeting in which the judge will inform all members of what steps are necessary before the trial takes place.
Mediation: This is when a third party will assist the two parties in negotiating the situation out to the final settlement.
Arbitration: This is similar to mediation, except for the fact that both parties agree to be bound by the decision made by the arbitrator.
A Trial: This is where a judge, and often times a jury, will examine the evidence of a case to determine guilt.
Preponderance of Evidence: This is really just a fancy way of saying, it's the plaintiff's job to provide enough proof for their case.
Verdict: This is the judge's, or jury's, decision on the case.
Appeal: An appeal is what can take place if you feel like some things were done incorrectly in your original trial. This can be requested if you would like a higher court to reverse the previous decision by the lower court.