Virginia Civil Litigation Attorneys

Virginia Civil Litigation

If you have a dispute with another person or business, you can seek damages through civil litigation. These cases often include contract, partnership, lending, and real estate disputes, mechanic’s liens, lemon law claims, and fraud, among others. Having a seasoned trial attorney by your side is critical for achieving the desired outcome. PJI Law litigation team counts several experienced trial attorneys, ready to work hard to prove your case in court or to negotiate a favorable settlement for you. Because your matter is regularly discussed among our attorneys at our case meetings at no additional charge to you, you don’t have to worry about an attorney’s personal emergencies hurting your case.

Our Virginia civil litigation attorneys are adept at both resolving cases before trial and litigating civil disputes. Contact us today to learn more about your civil litigation options.

Civil Litigation Categories

PJI Law litigates a variety of civil suits. These cases include:

• Contract Disputes
• Real Estate Disputes
• Fraud
• Mechanic’s Liens
• Lemon Law
• Local Counsel

The Litigation Process

Where a dispute hasn’t been resolved through out-of-court negotiation. The litigation process typically begins by filing a complaint with the court. The defendant receives a copy of the complaint and files one of several types of responses allowed. Then the pre-trial process begins with the discovery stage. Both sides gather evidence and may depose all relevant parties. Your Virginia civil litigation attorney will be by your side in reviewing and exchanging evidence, and during your deposition, ensuring your rights are protected.

In some cases, your attorney might need to consult with expert witnesses to prepare for trial. At this time, both attorneys will determine if they want to file any pre-trial motions. If no settlement agreement is reached by that point, the case will move forward to trial.

Trial by judge vs. Trial by jury

Virginia civil litigation can take place in front of a judge (also called a bench trial) or a judge and jury. A claimant seeking damages of $50,000 or less often files the case in General District Court. These cases are contested in front of a judge. If the case is valued at $50,000 or more, it will often go to Circuit Court. There the parties can decide if they want a bench trial or a jury trial.

If you choose a jury trial, your civil litigation attorney in Virginia will question potential jurors. Attorneys can strike jurors for cause and also have peremptory strikes. PJI Law will explain this process in detail so you will know what to expect during each stage of litigation.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

While it can be difficult to avoid going to court for a criminal charge, that isn’t always the case with civil complaints. PJI Law can help explore alternative dispute resolution options for our clients who prefer to avoid the court system. Many clients prefer alternative dispute resolutions when possible since it’s more affordable and faster. Our experienced team can work with the other side to attempt to reach a resolution. However, if that is not possible, our team will be prepared to take the case to trial. We never stop preparing for trial during the dispute resolution process, so we will be ready to try the case if needed.

Potential Outcomes

Our civil litigation attorneys in Virginia will evaluate your claim and go over possible outcomes. If you have lost money due to another person’s action, we can pursue financial compensation to make you whole again. Depending on the nature of the claim, we also might pursue equitable relief. This is most common in contract disputes. For instance, the judge might order the other party to uphold or cancel the contract. Your civil litigation attorney from PJI Law will discuss the relief options with you. While going over potential outcomes is part of the process, your attorney cannot guarantee what will happen in court.