Civil (Tort) Defense

If you’re sued and do not have an insurance company indemnifying you against losses, then you need to defend your case to protect your assets.

“Help!  I’m being sued, and don’t know what to do!”

The first thing you need to do is educate yourself about the basic facts of the lawsuit:

• When does the summons say that I need to respond?
• What Court do I need to respond to?  What division?
• Who are the parties?  What is the Plaintiff’s lawyer’s name?

Every Florida summons appears in a format mandated by the Florida Supreme Court, and clearly spells out on its face that you have 20 days after being served with the summons and lawsuit to respond to the allegations raised in the complaint.

But you should not spend the entire 20 days searching for a lawyer before beginning to prepare and file an answer to the lawsuit.  The Plaintiff (the person making the allegations in the complaint) has already had time to formulate and put into action his or her battle plan.  While you tarry, the Plaintiff has the opportunity to gather more and better evidence, to find and talk to more witnesses, and to rehearse.  You need to get representation today so that your legal team can keep pace with the efforts of opposing counsel.  You don’t want your side of the story to get drowned out.

“How can I help my lawyer represent my interests?”

The first step in helping your lawyer to represent you finding a lawyer that you can place your confidence in.  You want this lawyer to be someone that you sincerely trust is going to look out for your liberty and property interests as well as he looks out for his own.  If you attempt to work with a lawyer that you don’t entirely trust, you’ll lose sleep — you’ll always have the nagging doubts about where his or her loyalties lie.

I am one of the lawyers who you can trust will represent your interests and promote your rights as well as I do my own.