You hear a lot about eleventh-hour settlements reached just before a jury delivers its verdict, and about lawyers’ courtroom arguments and questioning of witnesses, but what about the many different stages and preparation that a lawsuit goes through long before a California trial is begun?  If you’re a prospective plaintiff or defendant, you can be spared the specifics of California procedures and local San Diego court rules governing lawsuits since that will be handled by your attorney, but you should know what you can generally expect to happen as your case moves forward.  Every case will be different and vary in complexity, and there can be overlap in the stages a lawsuit will go through as it progresses.  Despite the differences, it’s no surprise that the beginnings of a lawsuit are always the same: something went wrong.  This could have been virtually anything.  You may have been in a car accident and suffered a personal injury, the business you dealt with may have breached a contract, or your business may be accused of violating the ADA and California disability laws, and so on.  At some point, the problem at hand could turn into a legal dispute, and at this stage it’s essential to hire an experienced lawyer to evaluate potential liability, negotiate, and advise you on what you can reasonably expect.  If a fair settlement isn’t reached, then a lawsuit will be filed, but this doesn’t mean that negotiations are over, as attempts to settle will probably continue well after any trial begins in a San Diego superior court.  (more…)