What are the deadlines and requirements for civil litigation?

Civil litigation is the process of taking a legal dispute to court for resolution. In Washington, deadlines and requirements for civil litigation vary depending on the type of case and the court it is being heard in. Generally, the first step of civil litigation is filing a lawsuit in court, which requires you to state your legal claims and provide a basis for them in the complaint. The complaint must be served to the defendant, who is then given the opportunity to respond and present their own set of facts and legal arguments. In Washington, the defendant has 21 days to respond to the complaint, or the plaintiff can request a default judgment. After the defendant responds, the two parties may try to settle the dispute in mediation. If they are unable to come to an agreement, then the litigation process continues and the court holds a discovery phase. During discovery, both parties can exchange information regarding their claims and evidence pertaining to the case. In Washington, parties must begin the trial within 180 days after filing their first motion. Once the trial begins, each party will present their evidence and arguments. The judge or jury will decide the outcome based on the evidence and arguments presented. Once the verdict is in, both parties have 30 days to file an appeal if they are dissatisfied with the result. Overall, deadlines and requirements for civil litigation in Washington vary based on the type of case and court in which it is being heard. One must be aware of the deadlines and requirements for their specific case in order to ensure that the process runs smoothly.

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What are the deadlines and requirements for civil litigation?

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