What to Consider Before Maryland Civil Litigation

It is crucial for people to know what to consider before Maryland civil litigation. This is why the attorney must establish a good line of communication with the claimant from the outset. A seasoned civil litigation lawyer reviews all the factors involved in litigation that must be considered to help the individual make an informed decision about how to proceed. Sometimes, litigation is not worth the cost emotionally or financially. All relevant factors must be considered to discuss the case frankly with the claimant.

Financial and Emotional Costs of Civil Litigation

Evaluation of the potential financial and emotional costs to a plaintiff begins at the initial consultation between the attorney and claimant. A preliminary assessment is made about what the claimant tells the attorney they can financially and emotionally handle. Sometimes, those are suggested and not necessarily spoken outright. The attorney draws on their experience to get a sense of the financial cost of the case and its emotional impact. They discuss those with the claimant so the person can assess whether or not they wish to proceed. There must be a frank discussion about the cost to get to the end and whether there are ways to minimize the cost financially or emotionally.

Settling a Case vs. Trial

All decisions about whether to settle or move forward to trial should include a cost-benefit analysis of whether it is worth it to settle versus risking a particular result later. The attorney identifies all of the factors to present to the claimant so they can make an informed decision about whether to proceed or whether to settle. Everything litigators do is a cost-benefit analysis about how to maximize the result while minimizing the liabilities for the claimant. The attorney always weighs the two opposite forces to get the best result for the individual. Understanding settlements and trials is imperative to consider before Maryland civil litigation.

Class Action Cases

There are two ways to turn a civil case into a class action case, either at the start of the case when enough people filed claims or when many people have similar claims to make against a party. During discovery, the attorney may find that others have similar experiences and for the convenience of the court, they deal with them all of the similar claims in one big class action.

Civil Cases Investigations

The investigation of a civil claim generally refers to the discovery phase, but attorneys never stop investigating the facts or the circumstances behind the event being litigated so they are prepared to deal with issues that come up. They use all the time available to analyze the facts and get more evidence to support their case or refute the other side’s case. Throughout the investigation, the more information the attorney has, the better for the individual.

Pretrial Conferences

Pretrial conferences are conducted with the parties by the court to make sure everything is on track for the trial. The witnesses are ready to appear, the parties exchange the required information, and there are no pending motions that might delay the trial. The judge does not want to be surprised or waste time when the parties are not prepared. Trials are expensive, time-consuming, and an imposition on jurors. The pretrial conference is a way of forcing the parties to be prepared and is also an opportunity for everyone to discuss a possible settlement and to make sure that there are no wastes of time by either party.

For more information about what to consider before Maryland civil litigation, call an accomplished lawyer today.