Searching for Basic Legal Terminology?

Searching for Basic Legal Terminology? 

At some point in your life, you will likely interact with the civil legal system and possibly need the help of a civil litigation lawyer in Rockville MD. Whether it is when you are writing your will and planning your estate, if you are involved in a vehicle accident, or if you file for divorce. Regardless of the reason, your first experience with the civil system can be overwhelming. There are a plethora of laws and rules to learn and a complicated court system to navigate. Your best resource for learning and navigating is a competent Rockville, MD civil litigation lawyer with experience in the specific area of law with which you need help.

A civil litigation lawyer in Rockville MD at The Law Office of Daniel J. Wright have over many years of experience helping clients just like you with civil litigation. They know that whether this is your first or tenth experience with the civil law, you likely have some questions and they are ready to guide you to the answer. Consider calling the The Law Office of Daniel J. Wright today to set up an initial consultation to discuss your needs. In the meantime, read through this list of basic legal terminology that you may encounter as you pursue your civil claim:

• Plaintiff: A plaintiff is a person or, in some cases, an entity such as a business, who wants to pursue a legal claim against, or “sue,” another person or entity. Typically, a plaintiff believes that he has been wronged and deserves some monetary compensation from the person who harmed him. A plaintiff may also be seeking something other than money, such as a divorce, or court order asking someone to stop doing something, such as trespassing.

• Defendant: A defendant is the person or entity that is being sued by the plaintiff.

• Lawsuit: A lawsuit is what the plaintiff files against a defendant. A lawsuit is initiated by the plaintiff filing a document with the court that states why the plaintiff believes the defendant has wronged him. What the document is called varies by court, but it is often called a “complaint.” Complaints are typically drafted by a civil litigation lawyer from Rockville MD, but they can be submitted to the court, or “filed,” by anyone.

• Evidence: Evidence is information that a plaintiff must provide in court to prove his lawsuit against a defendant. A defendant may also present evidence to defend himself against the plaintiff’s claim. Evidence takes many forms: witness testimony, paper documents, photographs, videos, or virtually anything else. The court only allows certain evidence to be present in court, however. The evidence must be “relevant,” meaning that it must pertain to the issues in the lawsuit and it must be “authenticated,” meaning that it must be shown to be what it seems to be. For example, a video showing a defendant stealing a plaintiff’s car is relevant to a plaintiff’s lawsuit suing defendant for the value of the stolen car, and the plaintiff could likely present the video to the court by having the person who filmed the video explain when and where the video was taken.

Contact a civil litigation lawyer in Rockville MD from The Law Office of Daniel J. Wright to set up an initial consultation to discuss the civil lawsuit you are considering or are part of to learn more about these basic terms and the many others you are likely to come across during the life of your case.