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What Happens Before Trial

Lawsuits: What Happens Before Trial?

What Happens Before Trial

If you are suing someone, or if you are being sued, you may be wondering: “In lawsuits, what happens before trial?” Our California litigators have experience representing clients in civil suits, and many of them want to know what they can expect in the month before their trial starts. The truth is that your life is going to change considerably – at least for a little while. Trials can be stressful and time-consuming. But they can also be incredibly rewarding when your lawyers are able to secure a favorable verdict and help you achieve justice. That’s why you need to make sure you have the right attorneys on your side and handling your case, especially if the trial date is quickly approaching. The Los Angeles civil litigation attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP know how to prepare for trial and win in the courtroom – and we can help you win your case.

Keep reading this blog to learn more about what you and your attorneys can do to get ready for trial.

Are You Confident in Your Current Attorneys?

As your trial date gets closer, you may feel an incredible amount of stress – which can manifest itself both physically and emotionally. And since you don’t know what the outcome of the trial will be, you may also feel intense pressure during the trial. Managing this stress and pressure is an important aspect of getting through the trial, and one of the best ways to do this is to let your attorneys take care of the legal matters while you focus on yourself. Of course, this requires you to have the utmost confidence in your attorneys.

Cases are usually won or lost in the weeks and days leading up to trial. The side that best prepares everything for trial is likely to prevail at the final verdict. If your current attorney is not doing enough to get the case ready, your chances of defeat go up substantially. That’s why you should consider hiring a lawyer who specializes in late-notice cases and last-minute trials.

How Your Attorneys Should Prepare for an Upcoming Trial

There are a number of things that both you and your attorneys can do to make sure that you are ready for an upcoming trial in a California courtroom, whether it’s a criminal case or a civil case involving business fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, or employment law. Some of the most important prep work that your trial lawyer must get done either just before trial or shortly after the trial starts includes:

  • Filing pretrial briefs and motions if they have not already been filed with the court.
  • Prepping your witnesses for direct examination so that the main themes come across to the jury. Your witnesses should also be fully prepared for cross-examination by the other side.
  • Reviewing evidence that supports your case and making sure that it can be properly introduced at trial. This includes reviewing depositions so that the opposing side’s witnesses can be cross-examined.
  • Writing an opening statement to be presented to the jury at the start of the trial, and preparing a closing argument that succinctly summarizes your story and cogently explains to the jury why you should win the case at the conclusion of the trial.
  • Making sure the record is prepared for appeal in the event that you do not win at trial.
  • Communicating with the client so that they are fully informed about what is happening with the case, and also so that they can provide valuable information about the facts, witnesses, evidence, etc.

Pretrial Briefs and Motions

Your attorneys need to be extremely well-versed in the law, and they must have extensive experience handling cases that go to trial because they are going to need to follow court procedure and rules every step of the way. A single mistake during the pre-trial stage can be fatal to your case because you may not have the ability to remedy that mistake later. This includes filing all necessary briefs and motions by the required deadlines. A lot of judges will insist that you cannot go back and file certain motions once the deadline for doing so has passed, which means you may be blocked from introducing crucial evidence, deposing certain witnesses, or even getting the case dismissed before trial.

Witness Prep

Your attorneys will need to make sure that all your key witnesses are available for the trial date, and that those witnesses are fully prepared to testify. You may also want some witnesses on call to counter the opposing side’s arguments, and this means that your attorney will need to be adept at anticipating every possible argument and legal issue that might come up.

The amount of time needed to get the client and other witnesses ready for direct examination on the witness stand varies, depending on the particular case. You should expect to commit a good chunk of time to practicing testimony with your legal team. And you should expect preparation for cross-examination to take even longer.

Evidence

A strong trial lawyer will need to prepare every aspect of your case with the expectation that it will go to trial. This means having a complete list of all evidence that may be relevant in the case, including any documents that were obtained during discovery. It will also be necessary to have the depositions of any witnesses that could be called at trial. Basically, anything that will be needed to prove your case at trial should be available.

Depending on what happens at trial, it may be necessary to impeach a witness. This is when knowing the depositions inside and out will prove crucial because your attorney must immediately recognize inconsistencies in the witness’ testimony.

Opening Statement & Closing Argument

Your lawyers need to be able to communicate your story to the jury in a way that is easy to follow. The opening statement should capture the jurors’ attention, and the closing argument should intelligently articulate to the judge and jury why they should find in your favor.

Preparing the Record for Appeal

If the verdict does not go your way, your attorney might also want to file an appeal. This actually requires some foresight from your lawyer because they will need to make sure that the record is prepared for appeal.

Communicating with the Client

You can expect the days and weeks before the trial to be extremely time-consuming. Your attorneys will be doing everything possible to prepare the case, but you may also be called upon for last-minute gathering of documents, locating and contacting potential witnesses, and preparing for direct testimony at trial.

Additionally, if the client is open to a pre-trial settlement, then they should be on call to provide input when last-minute settlement discussions gain traction.

Contact the California Trial Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

The truth is that no two cases are the same. That’s why you need experienced legal representation who will work closely with you and who will aggressively advocate on your behalf throughout the legal process, up to and including the trial.

The Los Angeles trial attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP are ready to help you. We represent clients in courtrooms throughout the United States, including California, Texas, New York, and Florida. Call 310-590-3927 or send an email today to discuss your case.

Last-Minute Trial Lawyer

Do You Need a Last-Minute Trial Lawyer?

Last-Minute Trial Lawyer

How do you know if you need a last-minute trial lawyer? Although changing your lawyer at a late stage might not seem ideal, it might also be your best option if you truly believe that your current counsel is not sufficiently prepared to argue your case at trial. At the end of the day, it’s your case. You deserve to be represented by an attorney who will fight for you and who will give you the best chance of winning. The California last-minute trial team at Tauler Smith LLP handles a wide range of legal matters in emergency situations, including business fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and employment law. We know how to argue your case in court and help you get the best possible outcome.

Read this blog to find out whether you need a last-minute trial attorney.

Reasons You May Need to Hire a Last-Minute Trial Attorney

There are any number of reasons that a client might start looking for last-minute trial counsel:

  1. Personality clash between the client and their lawyer.
  2. Client and lawyer don’t see eye to eye on how to best handle the case.
  3. The attorney is failing to communicate with the client about what is happening with the case.
  4. The attorney appears to be afraid to take the case to trial.

 

  1. Attorney and Client Don’t Get Along

You and your current attorney might not be meshing well. Sometimes, there is a personality clash that can’t be overcome. Although it might still be possible for your attorney to win, it’s not ideal to head into trial when the attorney and the client are not on the same wavelength. After all, it’s your case and your story that will be told to the jury – so you should have a say in what happens during pre-trial prep and which arguments get made during the trial.

  1. Disagreement About Trial Strategy

You and your current attorney might disagree over the trial strategy. The attorney may be the legal expert, but you should still have a say in what arguments get made and how your story is presented to the jury. It’s possible that your lawyer has a trial strategy that you are not on board with, and that’s okay. The best thing to do in these situations is often to move on and find a new lawyer who is a better fit.

  1. Lack of Communication

Your attorney needs to keep you informed about the case. It is crucial that you remain involved throughout the legal process, including trial preparation and strategy. If your lawyer is failing to tell you about important developments, or if they are simply non-responsive when you try to contact them, it may be in your best interest to find another lawyer.

  1. Attorney Is Afraid of Trial

Is your current attorney pushing for a bad settlement, even when the other side refuses to make a fair settlement offer? Then you may need a new attorney who is not afraid to take your case to trial and present your side to a judge or jury. Our Los Angeles last-minute trial team lives for trial work, and we’ve got the background and record to prove it.

How Our Last-Minute Trial Lawyers Can Help You Win

When a lawyer takes over a case at the 11th hour, they need more than just legal knowledge and strong argumentative skills. They must be capable of making lightning-quick decisions and adjusting on the fly to new evidence and unexpected arguments by the opposition. In fact, it is very possible that last-minute trial counsel could be your last hope of prevailing and getting the trial result you deserve.

The skilled California litigators at Tauler Smith LLP can take over your case and prepare for trial on extremely short notice, which is what you need to win. We take pride in putting all our energy, passion, and knowledge into helping our clients get legal justice. Additionally, we have a track record of success when it comes to securing successful verdicts in both bench trials and jury trials throughout the U.S., including California, Texas, New York, and Florida.

Need Last-Minute Trial Counsel? Contact a California Parachute Trial Lawyer

You deserve to be represented by an experienced attorney who is comfortable making arguments in the courtroom and who knows how to persuasively present your story to a jury. The Los Angeles last-minute trial lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP have decades of combined experience representing clients in both federal and state courtrooms. Additionally, we are extremely proud of our track record of success in litigation.

Call 310-590-3927 or send an email now to schedule a free consultation.

What Is a Last-Minute Trial Lawyer?

What Is a Last-Minute Trial Lawyer?

What Is a Last-Minute Trial Lawyer?

If you’ve got a looming trial and no longer have confidence in the ability of your current attorney to effectively represent you in court, a last-minute trial lawyer may be your best chance to win the case and get justice. But what is a last-minute trial lawyer? And how can they get you ready to win your case at a late stage?

Read this blog to learn how last-minute trial counsel can help you win your case.

How a Last-Minute Trial Attorney Can Help You Win Your Case

Trials are difficult to win under ordinary circumstances. A case outcome can turn on a number of different factors, including the opening statement, the introduction of exhibits and supporting evidence, motions made during the trial, cross-examination of opposing witnesses, and the closing argument. All of this is made even more difficult when you hire a new lawyer to replace your current legal counsel who you no longer trust to handle your case. That’s where a California last-minute trial attorney can step in and be most effective.

A last-minute trial attorney is a legal professional who takes over a case during the later stages (e.g., when there is an imminent trial). If your case is headed to trial and you are not fully confident in the ability of your current counsel to represent you in court, you need to seriously consider making a change before it’s too late.

Quick Preparation

Last-minute trial counsel must be able to get up to speed on extremely short notice because there typically isn’t much time to prepare for trial. Additionally, once the trial begins, your attorney needs to possess significant skill as a litigator because they will have to argue your case and persuade the judge or jury that you are on the right side.

Trial-Ready Lawyers

A last-minute trial lawyer specializes in taking over cases with impending trials. If your case is entering the eleventh hour and trial is about to commence, it is critically important for you to be represented by an attorney who has the ability to try a late-notice case in front of a judge or jury. Not every litigator has the ability to handle a case on short notice because there is so much that goes into preparing for trial.

Courtroom Experience

Once the trial starts, your attorney will need to be exceptional at arguing the case. The Los Angeles last-minute trial team at Tauler Smith LLP has extensive courtroom experience and a track record of success in 11th-hour trials that you can rely on. When time is limited, you want an attorney who possesses all the requisite legal skills to win your case. Our attorneys have been called in to try cases in courtrooms throughout the United States, including California, Texas, Florida, and New York.

California Parachute Trial Lawyers Who Will Prepare a Winning Trial Strategy for Your Case

A good trial lawyer will not just ask questions about the elements of the claim. Your trial lawyer should also be asking questions about the evidence in the case and the witnesses that they plan to put on the stand at trial – and this should always be done with the jury in mind. If the jurors don’t find your evidence believable or your witnesses credible, then they are unlikely to render a verdict in your favor.

The California parachute trial attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP are uniquely suited to being nimble and working as a team. When you hire us, we will immediately get to work reviewing the facts so that we can understand the case quickly and craft a winning trial strategy. And then we will get the job done once the trial starts because we make a strong impression in the courtroom. Other attorneys, judges, and our peers in the legal profession know what to expect when they see us walk into court: fearless, impassioned representation of our clients.

Contact the Los Angeles Last-Minute Trial Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP for Immediate Assistance

Do you need last-minute trial representation to save your case from certain defeat? The skilled attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP have decades of experience representing clients in cases involving business fraud, identity theft, breach of fiduciary duty, employment law defense, and criminal defense. We also know how to effectively prepare a case for a last-minute trial at the eleventh hour.

Call 310-590-3927 or email us now.