Rocklin Civil Litigation Attorney
California firm offers skillful advocacy to individuals and businesses
When you believe your legal rights have been violated or if someone else is accusing you of an improper act, it is time to hire a proven attorney. Inimitable Law in Rocklin offers strategic representation to Northern California clients in numerous kinds of civil litigation matters. Whether it is a breach of contract claim, an allegation of tortious misconduct or a property dispute, our firm will clearly assess each side’s legal position and battle to achieve the outcome you seek.
Determined attorney handles various types of disputes
All types of non-criminal legal disputes can fall under the heading of civil litigation. Our firm handles a wide range of these matters, including disagreements related to:
- Contract performance
- Business conflicts
- Property matters
- Tort claims
Remember that hiring a lawyer to represent your interests does not necessarily mean that you are going to trial. Attorney Sean Patrick is not only a proven trial advocate, but is also a skillful negotiator who focuses on finding the best way to resolve your case. We achieve strong results for many clients in settlements and mediations.
California civil litigation process
There are several important differences between civil and criminal litigation. While criminal cases are prosecuted by the state, civil claims are filed by the aggrieved party so that they can obtain legal relief directly from the individual or business that harmed them. Elements of a civil case that you should be aware of include:
- Complaint and Answer — The party filing suit presents their allegations and requests relief in a Complaint that is submitted to the court and served up on the defendant. Under the standard schedule, the defendant has 30 days from receipt to respond, usually through an Answer or a Motion to Dismiss.
- Discovery — Shortly after the case is commenced, the parties can begin the discovery process, during which the litigants obtain information from each other and third parties. There are various methods of discovery, including witness depositions, interrogatories that must be answered and requests for the production of documents.
- Standard of proof — While a prosecutor must prove that a defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, civil plaintiffs have a more lenient standard. You can recover damages if a preponderance of the evidence shows that your claims are true. This means that a jury or bench trial judge believes that your version of the relevant events is more likely than your opponent’s.
- Resolution — Cases are usually resolved through settlement negotiations. In some instances, mediation or arbitration might be employed to finalize a resolution outside of court. However, if going to trial is the best way to protect your interests, our attorney is a skilled courtroom advocate.
- Damages — Typically, relief in a civil case is granted in the form of monetary damages. Even if you are held to be partially responsible for the harm you suffered, you can still win an award at trial. In comparative fault cases, a plaintiff’s damages are reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to them. So if you incur $100,000 damages in a fall on a slippery supermarket floor and the jury believes you bear 20 percent of the fault because you were looking at your phone, the award would be $80,000.
From start to finish, you can rely on our firm for insightful, aggressive advocacy.
Contact a trusted California civil litigation attorney to set up a consultation
Inimitable Law advocates for Northern California clients in a wide array of civil litigation matters. To make an appointment for a consultation at our Rocklin office, please call 916-500-0369 or contact us online.
