Lawsuit Handbook

This easy-to-read, step-by-step book explains what to expect if you sue or if you are sued. It includes important facts to consider before filing a complaint, when it is time to consult an attorney, how to file or respond to a complaint & other pleadings, how to calculate the cost of a lawsuit, & ways to increase the chances of winning a suit. Richard Coombs follows two different kinds of common lawsuits through each stage of litigation. The reader traces each dispute from the complaint, through the various response, pleading, discovery, & pre-trial stages. At the trial stage, the reader not only learns the order of arguments, examination of witnesses, & motions, but also how these stages can be used strategically for the most effective result. Finally, the reader learns how the appeals process works & the effects it can have on a judgment. The discussion of basic legal principles & their practical application enables the reader to think like a lawyer to evaluate the strength or weakness of a case. The author explains the dynamics of the court-lawyer-litigant relationship, encapsulates common trial practices, & reviews alternatives to litigation.Coombs, Richard is the author of 'Lawsuit Handbook', published 1990 under ISBN 9780962333811 and ISBN 0962333816.