Learning

This month, we’ll discuss Selecting Affirmative Defenses to fight the claims against you. This goes for defendants opposing a plaintiff’s complaint as well as plaintiffs opposing a defendant’s counterclaims. We’ll look at ways to avoid liability for the most common claims.

This month, we discuss Finding and Using Expert Witnesses to support your case. Not every case needs expert testimony, but every case can be improved with a knowledgeable objective MacGyver who has studied your facts. We’ll look at cost-effective ways to get smart people on your side.

This month, we discuss Giving a Deposition without giving your case away. When your opponent sends you a deposition notice, you should prepare for tricks and pressure tactics to make you testify against yourself. If you’re not ready on Deposition Day, you may say things under oath that can and will be used against you. We’ll share strategies for getting through a likely hostile conversation unscathed.

This month, we discuss Taking a Deposition, the process of collecting testimony from a potential witness before trial. If your opponent lists a witness for trial, you’ll want to hear that testimony before a judge or jury hears it so you can prepare to challenge it. Even if they’re not listed for trial, deposing a hostile witness can suss out information your opponent may be hiding. We’ll share strategies for getting to the meat of the matter.

This month, we discuss the process of Appealing a Non-Final Order. Sometimes a judge’s order wrecks your case so badly that you can’t get a fair trial until it’s reversed. But there’s a high bar to having your appeal heard by a higher court in the middle of the case. We’ll share common rules of appellate procedure and tips for getting a non-final order reversed.

This month, we walk through the process of Appealing a Final Judgment. Your loss in the trial court need not be the final word. But your appeal to a higher court must be error-free to have a chance of being heard. We’ll share typical rules of appellate procedure and tips for getting a judgment reversed.

This month, we walk through the details of Settlement Negotiations. Most cases end in settlement when both parties have a lawyer. It’s a privilege to settle your case as a pro se litigant fighting an opponent with a lawyer. But if you’re putting up a good fight, you’re bound to get an offer. We’ll discuss tactics for getting the best outcome in your case.

This month, we discuss the mechanics of Going To Trial. The plaintiff goes first, but both sides have a case to make. And both sides must prepare ahead of trial to defeat the other side. We’ll review the pre-trial preparations and motions, and we’ll walk step by step through the day of trial.

This month, we walk through the discovery process to help you decide What Evidence to Collect, and From Whom. Both sides in a case should participate fully in collecting evidence, so don’t wait for your opponent to start. We’ll discuss the timing, common documents, and when to get the court involved. We’ll also look at ways to respond to your opponent’s efforts to collect evidence from you.

This month, we walk through the process for Amending a Complaint. Plaintiffs often re-file their complaints due to minor errors in the original, discovery of new evidence, or a defendant’s motion to dismiss. We’ll discuss the timing, required documents, and when to request the court’s permission. We’ll also look at a defendant’s options for responding to an amended complaint.

This month, we walk through the Answer and Affirmative Defenses, a defendant’s primary pleading when responding to a complaint or petition. We’ll discuss its timing, its structure, its importance to the rest of the case, and all the things to do and not do for an effective pleading. We’ll also share how to deal with it as a plaintiff.

This month, we look at the pre-trial process with a focus on the Motion in Limine, the procedure that determines which evidence gets in, and which evidence gets excluded. We’ll discuss the issues a judge must consider in deciding the evidence each party will be allowed to use at trial to prove or disprove the facts.

This month, we discuss Appeals — in particular, the things you should do throughout the case to protect your right to appellate review. The acts you take to preserve issues for appeal also let your judge know their rulings are not the last word. We’ll show you how to get court errors on the record so the appellate court has something to reverse.