Millions of people each year reach the conclusion that the only way the situation in which they find themselves will be resolved- the stressful, costly, and exasperating situation-is if they go to court. Alternatively, millions of other people each year find themselves named as defendants in a lawsuit-often an unexpected situation for which they’re unprepared-based on circumstances that are equally stressful, costly and exasperating. Regardless of whether you’re the plaintiff or the defendant, if you find yourself settling a dispute within the confines of the civil justice system in the United States the sooner you can understand the mechanics and nuances of the system, the more likely you are to have a successful outcome.

If the description above sounds familiar-if this describes your situation-this book is for you. Written without legalese or technical jargon specifically for an audience of non-lawyers, this book’s purpose-whether you’re representing yourself or hiring legal counsel-is to save time and money by increasing your understanding of the civil legal system.

Below is a brief summary of the insights available in this book:

• The best approach to decide if the civil legal system is the most efficient and cost-effective remedy for your dispute, a framework to evaluate the business case of a potential lawsuit and guidance regarding the process to determine the most applicable case law that aligns with the facts and circumstances of your potential case


• Recommendations regarding the process to interview, evaluate and hire the lawyer best suited for your case based on the specifics of your case and the experience of potential law firms and attorneys


• Advice related to the need to be your own best advocate in a lawsuit and guidance on this approach regardless of if you’re representing yourself or hiring legal counsel


• An overview of the standard process that defines the civil legal system and advice to navigate every stage of the process including the following:


• Instructions related to the initiation of a lawsuit including alignment between existing case law and the facts and circumstances of your dispute


• Strategic guidance related to the discovery process and the most cost-effective and efficient way to use this process to ensure you focus your efforts on obtaining evidence to support your case


• Advice related to effectively preparing for trial and executing your trial strategy


• Guidance related to the negotiation of settlement agreements including the relationship between settlement agreement negotiations, routinely evaluating the strength of your case and consistently presenting the strongest case possible to maximize your position in settlement agreement discussions 


• Information related to post-trial activities such as the appeals process and the collections process


• Additional resources to guide your efforts to find the experts best suited to help with your specific case and additional information that may be helpful based on the area of the law that governs your case

This book is a Legal Literacy Project title. The Legal Literacy Project is partnering with national and local civil aid service providers and justice reform advocacy groups to increase access and advocate for reforms to the civil justice system to ensure it best serves the public.

Legal Disclaimer of no advice: This book contains general information about legal matters. The information contained within is not advice, and should not be treated as such. This book is not a substitute for legal advice and a reader should not delay seeking legal advice if required.