Legal Issues About Representing Yourself in Court RSS

Defamation is a false statement that causes harm to a person’s reputation. Although defamation claims have existed for hundreds of years, they have increased significantly with the advent of social media platforms. Although everyone wants to avoid a lawsuit, you may have no choice but to seek redress through the courts if someone is spreading false information about you. In this article, we will discuss the basic elements of a defamation lawsuit. Note that this is a general guide and the exact laws will vary from state to state! What is a Defamation Lawsuit? A defamation lawsuit is a legal action...

You’ve been to your local law library, done your research, learned the elements of your civil claims, and you have determined that you have good cause to file a lawsuit against someone.  However, properly alleging the claims of a civil lawsuit is not always enough.  Certain situations require additional hoops to jump through.  Sometimes a state will have specific rules that may apply to your case.  Here are some of the most common rules you need to look out for before filing a civil lawsuit.  Not all states have the same rules and the specifics of each rule will vary...

Welcome to lawsuitforms.org!  In this post we will discuss how to conduct a deposition.  A deposition is the taking of witness testimony outside of the courtroom.  They are generally scheduled well in advance of a trial, so litigants can discover what, exactly, a witness will say if they end up testifying in court.  Witnesses testify under oath and are subject to penalties for perjury just as if they were testifying in court.  Their testimony is also recorded by a court reporter.   Should I Schedule a Deposition? The process for scheduling and conducting a deposition is not difficult.  However, conducting...

  As we have repeatedly said, it is always a good idea to hire a lawyer whenever you need to go to court. If you can afford it, that is. Unfortunately, the high cost of attorneys makes them un-affordable to most people who need legal help. The average hourly rate to hire an attorney in the United States is now between $372 and $899 dollars per hour!!! These prices have forced the vast majority of potential litigants to represent themselves in court. How bad is it? Much worse than you think.  According to americanprogress.org: “In more than three-fourths of all...

Most people think civil litigation is incredibly complex.  But that’s only partially true.  While there is no doubt that filing or defending against a civil lawsuit can indeed get complicated, the basic nuts and bolts of a civil lawsuit are quite simple and easy to follow.  As we’ve said before, it is always a good idea to hire a competent attorney if you can afford to spend several thousands of dollars in legal fees.  However, when that is not an option, it is more than possible to represent yourself in a civil lawsuit, which starts with filing a complaint. When...