lawyer what are civil cases

by Berry Boyle 8 min read

What Cases Do Civil Lawyers Handle?

  • Civil Rights. Some civil lawyers handle civil rights cases. These are cases in which an individual -- or group, for...
  • Business Law. Business law is another civil area in which people often need a lawyer's guidance. If you are setting up a...
  • Personal Injury Law. Personal injury law is an enormous legal field encompassing many...

A civil case is a private, non-criminal lawsuit, usually involving private property rights, including respecting rights stated under the Constitution or under federal or state law.

Full Answer

What cases does a civil attorney handle?

What cases do civil lawyers handle? Some civil lawyers handle civil rights cases. These are cases in which an individual — or group, for class action lawsuits — believes that her basic human rights have not been respected. Examples include seeking damages for unlawful police searches, or discrimination in housing, employment or education.

What are the duties of a civil lawyer?

  • Interview everyone involved to build the case.
  • Take depositions from witnesses.
  • Communicate with the other party's attorneys and the court.
  • File motions, briefs and other documents, as needed.
  • Serve discovery requests on the other party, in which you are asking for specific information. ...
  • Hire expert witnesses.

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What does a civil law attorney do?

What does a Civil Attorney Do?

  • The beginning: Petition, Summons, and Answer. If a potential plaintiff hires a civil attorney, the attorney’s first step is to file a petition in court.
  • Discovery. After the petition and response are filed, the next step in a civil case is often discovery. ...
  • Motions for Summary Judgment. ...
  • Out-of-court settlement. ...
  • The trial. ...

What are civil litigation lawyers?

Virginia Civil Litigation Lawyers & Law Firms

  • Nate L. Adams, III, P.C. ...
  • Luis A. Abreu, PLLC. ...
  • FRIEDLANDER & FRIEDLANDER P.C. "A Reputation Of Excellence" Covering An Array Of Fields In Both VA & D.C. ...
  • Bischoff Martingayle P.C. We focus on representing clients in litigation, administrative hearings and appeals throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • Rebecca H. Royals, PLC. ...

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What defines a civil case?

"Civil" cases are the cases in which private citizens (or companies) sue each other in court. Civil cases are not about breaking a criminal law. There are many different kinds of cases in civil court. This website has separate sections for the most common kinds of civil cases.

What are the two types of civil cases?

Types of civil cases include:Personal Injury Tort Claims. One of the most common cases in civil litigation is personal injury claims. ... Contract Disputes. ... Equitable Claims. ... Class Action Suits. ... Divorce and Family Law Disputes. ... Property Disputes.

What do civil cases focus on?

This is an expansive category that includes everything from suits for things like breach of contract or personal injury, divorce proceedings, cases involving child custody, as well as lawsuits against government officials and agencies.

What are the three most common types of civil cases?

The three most common types of civil cases presented in civil court are:Tort Claims.Breach of Contract.Landlord/Tenant Issues.

Can you go to jail for a civil case?

Civil law also settles disputes between individuals and organisations. If you are convicted of a civil offence, you are not likely to be sent to prison, but most often will become liable for compensation.

What is an example of a civil action?

Criminal Action and a Civil Action For example, stealing someone's property can give rise to 1) criminal charges being brought by the state and 2) a civil action wherein the owner of the stolen property demands that the thief return the property or compensate the owner for the value of the stolen property.

Is a civil case a trial?

Civil cases involve hearings in open court which the public may attend, hearings in the judge's private room from which the public are excluded, and matters decided by the judge in private but on the basis of the papers alone. Most civil disputes do not end up in court, and those that do often don't go to a full trial.

What are the stages of civil case?

Stages of the Civil Suit as per the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 Presentation of the plaint. Service of summons on defendant. Appearance of parties. Ex-party Decree. Filing of written statement by the defendant. Production of documents by parties. Examination of parties. Framing of issues by the court.More items...

What is a civil case vs criminal?

If the defendant is found guilty of a crime, he or she may face jail or prison. A civil case happens when one person, business, or agency sues another one because of a dispute between them, usually involving money.

What would be an example of a case that would be heard in civil court?

Cases involving claims for such things as personal injury, battery, negligence, defamation, medical malpractice, fraud, and many others, are all examples.

What are the two most common civil law cases?

The two most common types of civil cases involve contracts and torts. In deciding cases, courts apply statutes and legal precedent.

How long does a civil lawsuit take?

While an actual trial in court usually takes only a few days, the pre-trial process and the process of preparing a case can take weeks or months. In especially complex cases where both sides present extensive witnesses and lots of technical evidence, even the trial process can stretch on for a long time.

Choosing A Jury

  • Except in cases that are tried only before a judge (i.e. most family court cases), one of the first steps in any civil trial is selection of a jury. During jury selection, the judge (and usually the plaintiff and the defendant through their respective attorneys) will question a pool of potential jurors generally and as to matters pertaining to the particular case -- including personal ideological pre…
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Opening Statements

  • Once a jury is selected, the first "dialogue" in a personal injury trial comes in the form of two opening statements -- one from the plaintiff's attorney, and the other from an attorney representing the defendant. No witnesses testify at this stage, and no physical evidence is ordinarily utilized. Because the plaintiff must demonstrate the defendant's legal liability based o…
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Witness Testimony and Cross-Examination

  • At the heart of any civil trial is what is often called the "case-in-chief," the stage at which each side presents its key evidence and arguments to the jury. In its case-in-chief, the plaintiff methodically sets forth its evidence in an attempt to convince the jury that the defendant is legally responsible for the plaintiff's damages, or that judg...
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Closing Arguments

  • Similar to the opening statement, the closing argument offers the plaintiff and the defendant in a civil dispute a chance to "sum up" the case, recapping the evidence in a light favorable to their respective positions. This is the final chance for the parties to address the jury prior to deliberations, so in closing arguments the plaintiff seeks to show why the evidence requires the …
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Jury Instruction

  • After both sides of the case have had a chance to present their evidence and make a closing argument, the next step toward a verdict is jury instruction -- a process in which the judge gives the jury the set of legal standards it will need to decide whether the defendant should be held accountable for the plaintiff's alleged harm. The judge decides what legal standards should appl…
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Jury Deliberation and Verdict

  • After receiving instruction from the judge, the jurors as a group consider the case through a process called "deliberation," attempting to agree on whether the defendant should be held liable based on the plaintiff's claims, and if so, the appropriate compensation for any damages. Deliberation is the first opportunity for the jury to discuss the case -- a methodical process that c…
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