Civil litigation begins with the filing of a complaint. When you think you may have a lawsuit, you will meet with an attorney and go over the facts of the case. The attorney will then draft a complaint, which alleges what the other side has done wrong or why you are suing them.

Civil litigation can end in a variety of ways. Oftentimes, you can reach an agreement with the other side through mediation. You may go to trial and either get a judgment for or against you, or the case could be dismissed at any part during the process.

In Florida, a typical foreclosure can take anywhere from six months to two years. It depends on the complexity of the circumstances surrounding the foreclosure and whether or not you retain an attorney to assist in the foreclosure process.

It’s important to review an attorney’s experience and qualifications in the area which you’re intending to hire them. For instance, if you’re looking for a residential real estate attorney, have they been involved in a lot of real estate deals? What experience do they have with real estate litigation? It’s also a good idea to have someone you’re compatible with personality wise. The attorney-client relationship is very important, and attorney and client must trust each other to come up with the best outcome.

When you file a civil case there are, of course, filing fees and there are going to be attorney’s fees. Whether or not you can recover attorney’s fees depends on the nature of your case and whether or not there’s a statute involved that provides for attorney’s fees.

If you’re involved in civil litigation and you filed a lawsuit against a party, it’s possible if you lose the case that you may be required by the judge to pay the other party’s attorney’s fees. That’s why it’s important to speak with an experienced civil litigation attorney to make sure that you have a claim that has merit and will not subject you to these penalties.

It’s very important if you are served with a complaint to immediately seek the advice of an experienced attorney. You usually have 20 days to respond to a complaint. If you don’t respond at all, you will be considered what’s called a defaulted party. In other words, you automatically lose. Even if that complaint has no merit, it’s important to consult with an attorney and immediately respond to the complaint within the allowed time period.