General Litigation

At Slaby Deda Law Offices, we are not afraid to litigate any issue. We are willing and able to handle all aspects of the legal process. From pre-trial negotiations all the way through trial to a verdict, we are prepared to assist our clients each step of the way. Each attorney in our firm has trial experience and is always ready to rely on that experience. The pre-trial phase may be different depending on whether it is a criminal or civil case and whether you are a plaintiff or defendant, but it is equally important regardless of the details. The pre-trial phase builds the foundation on which the eventual resolution, whether through trial or settlement, will be reached. The beginning stages of a legal proceeding are very important, as certain defenses or other motions, if forgone in the beginning, may be waived for the entirety of the proceeding. The whole case could be resolved very early, for better or for worse, depending on a litigant’s utilization of the tools the legal system has to offer at the pre-trial stage. A major part of the pre-trial phase is discovery. Discovery is the means by which the parties uncover the information needed either by the plaintiff to prove satisfaction of the relevant elements, or by the defendant to show dissatisfaction of the elements, or prove the satisfaction of defenses. The information that is uncovered through discovery, by either side, has major consequences on what settlement offers are deemed reasonable. An attorney will know what information to seek through discovery, and by what means such information may be obtained. You will be consulted throughout the discovery process about the information obtained from the other side, as well as for possible avenues that warrant exploration. If, after discovery attempts at reaching a settlement fail, the case will typically proceed to mediation. If mediation fails, the last step is a trial. Depending on the complexity of the case, a trial could last a few hours to a few days. Complex trials may take more time, because they may require the testimony of experts or many witnesses to explain the issues. Most cases are tried to a judge, although some cases are tried before a jury.