Ford, Parshall & Baker .

Civil Litigation Process

Missouri Civil Litigation Law Firm

At Ford, Parshall & Baker, civil litigation is a major focus of our law practice. Our attorneys represent businesses, insurance companies, professionals, educational institutions and individuals with legal disputes that have reached the level of formal litigation.

From our offices in Columbia and Lake Ozark, we manage insurance defense litigation and other forms of civil litigation throughout Missouri. The primary areas in which our civil litigation lawyers work include:

• Insurance defense and insurance law litigation based on first-party claims
• Defense of professional malpractice claims
• Disputes arising from commercial and residential real estate transactions
• Personal injury settlement negotiations on behalf of injured people
• Conflicts heard in family court, including marital dissolution and child custody actions
• Actions to collect debts owed to businesses through collection lawsuits

The Civil Litigation Process

Civil lawsuits proceed according to the same procedural rules, no matter what the specific subject matter. FPB attorneys have extensive experience litigating cases in both state and federal court. We work closely with our business and individual clients through every step of the litigation process. We explain strategy, timelines, and likely outcomes.

• The initial consultation: Regardless of the type of case, we ask our clients to deliver to us all documents and information they have on the matter. Our role is to filter the information and determine relevance as necessary.
  
• Filing a complaint or response: Depending on the client's position, we file the original lawsuit (called a complaint) or we file a response to the complaint filed against our client.
  
• The discovery process: After formal papers have been filed, the discovery process begins. During discovery, each party learns what the other party knows about the case by requesting specific documents, answers to written questions, and answers under oath in depositions. Discovery can continue for a period of weeks, months or — in extremely complex cases — a year or longer.
  
• Settlement negotiations: As discovery proceeds, so do settlement negotiations. Only a very small percentage of civil lawsuits actually go to trial. The FPB lawyers are skilled negotiators who know how to use the information collected during discovery to push for an acceptable resolution to the matter.
  
• Summary judgment: In some cases, attorneys may file summary judgment motions asking the judge to dismiss the case or make a final ruling without a complete trial. We file summary judgment motions on our clients' behalf or respond to them when our clients are in a defensive posture.
  
• Trial: In the unlikely event settlement negotiations fail, our experienced trial attorneys continue to carry the case through to a resolution via a trial by jury or in front of a state or federal judge.

The Experience to Handle Your Civil Litigation Needs

For more information about our law firm, our history, our list of representative clients or to make an appointment, contact Ford, Parshall & Baker today.