I am being sued. What do I do?

Civil cases are initiated when a formal complaint is filed with the court and served on you, the defendant. The first thing you need to do when served with a complaint is to immediately contact an attorney. Do not wait. As most complaints will state, there is a set period of time, usually around thirty days, in which you may legally respond to the claims (with an Answer or other legal information) when you are being sued before a default judgment is entered against you.

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Can I take someone to court over a dispute?

If you are having a dispute with someone, you may be able to take the case to court to have it settled. There are a few basic requirements that you need to meet however. First, you need to be over the age of 18 years old. Second, you need to have a legally valid claim that you are seeking a remedy for. The remedy may be monetary damages (which is the most common remedy) or you may wish to compel someone to do something (i.e. you may be seeking specific performance) or not do something (with an injunction). You cannot, however, take a person to court to seek criminal remedies; only a prosecutor can do that. There may also be other limitations on your right to sue.

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What is contempt of court?

Contempt of court is a display of disrespect or disregard for the authority of a court. Contempt of court can be either civil or criminal in nature, much like the court system itself. Civil contempt is a coercive or punitive mechanism designed to prod the party held in contempt to remedy the wrong they’ve committed.

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