Get Help From a Massachusetts Civil Litigation Attorney
Massachusetts Civil Litigation Attorney
Having a case in court, either as a plaintiff or defendant, can be daunting, but please read on...
Clients seek out lawyers for a quick and knowledgeable assessment of their situation and, if necessary, effective representation for the entire duration of their issues. The ability to identify issues on an ongoing basis, evaluate them in light of the law and facts, and both formulate and execute a plan is the hallmark of good lawyering.
However, the advice and representation you receive is only as valuable as the experience and perspective of the attorney that offers it. Equitas Law attorneys have decades of experience as a civil litigators, including a former senior trial attorney from a large Boston law firm, and have the unique experience to represent you through every stage of your case, from beginning to end.
Our attorneys have successfully represented people and businesses -plaintiffs and defendants- in a wide variety of civil actions in state and federal courts throughout Massachusetts to include not only individuals, but businesses ranging from one-person operations to the biggest retail establishments in the country, in cases with damages from the thousands of dollars to the millions.
Equitas Law represents civil clients in a broad range of Civil Litigation matters, including those involving…
Personal Injury
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Product Liability
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Premises Liability
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Social Host Liability
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Automobile Accidents
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Motorcycle Accidents
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Pedestrian Injuries
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Attorney Malpractice
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Construction Site Injuries
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Dram Shop Liability
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Wrongful Death
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Victims of Sexual Assault
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Victims of Assault and Battery
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Commercial Vehicle Accidents
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Negligent Security
Business Disputes
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Contract Actions
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Commercial Lease Disputes
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Property Damage Claims
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Construction Disputes
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Non-Compete Agreements
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General and Sub-Contractor Disputes
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Employee Theft
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Commercial Vehicle Accidents
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G.L. c. 93A
General Disputes
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All Business Disputes
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Fiduciary Trustee Litigation
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Estate Litigation
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Consultation Services
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Contractor/Homeowner Construction Disputes
Free Consultation on Any Massachusetts Civil Matter
If you would like to speak about your case and get an expert opinion, please call or text us at any time at 617-723-4163, email at inquiry@equitas.law or use our contact form, above. We will listen to the facts of your case, address your concerns and let you know what your options are.
The initial consultation is free and there is no pressure to hire. If you choose to hire us, we will give you a reasonable fee agreement, including possible contingency fee and hourly options.
Civil Litigation FAQ
The Statute of Limitations sets the time period – from a particular act – within which a legal action must be initiated. If you are a criminal or civil defendant, the SOL can serve to end the case (and eliminate your problem) at its infancy.
If you are looking to bring criminal charges against someone or to sue for civil damages, the SOL may prevent you from doing so if you wait too long.
Generally speaking, most state criminal charges have a SOL of 6 years (murder and certain types of sexual assault have no SOL, while some violent crimes have a SOL of 10 years).
Civil SOL vary too widely to set forth here, but the most commonly utilized are 3 years for personal injury actions, 4 years for consumer protection actions and 6 years for breach of contract.
To complicate matters further, the SOL can be “tolled”, or put on pause, for certain periods of time, such as when a criminal defendant flees the jurisdiction or a civil plaintiff has not yet discovered the harmful event.
As with most areas of the law, the Statute of Limitations is not as simple as it seems and it is important to consult with an attorney to determine how this issue may affect your case.
A tort is simply a term that describes an act or omission that causes injury or harm to another and may allow the court to impose civil liability.
Generally, torts fall into three categories: intentional torts (e.g., assault and battery); negligence (e.g., causing an accident by failing to obey traffic rules); and strict liability torts (e.g., making and selling defective products or dog bites).
Generally, the defendant must serve an answer to a Complaint within twenty (20) days after service of the summons and Complaint. Mass. R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1).
An answer to a Crossclaim, Counterclaim or Third-Party Complaint must be served within twenty days as well.
How you answer a complaint will have an effect on the entire case, so we strongly recommend consulting an attorney!
In responding to any pleading (most often an Answer to a Complaint), the answer must raise the following affirmative defenses or they will be waived:
- accord and satisfaction;
- arbitration and award;
- assumption of risk;
- contributory negligence;
- discharge in bankruptcy;
- duress;
- estoppel;
- failure of consideration;
- fraud;
- illegality;
- injury by fellow servant;
- laches;
- license;
- payment;
- release;
- res judicata;
- statute of frauds;
- statute of limitations;
- waiver; and
- any other matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense.
Mass. R. Civ. P. 8(c). It may not seem like it, but this is a crucial stage of the case and mistakes here will cost you. Call an attorney.
Don't ignore it!
If no responsive pleading is timely filed to a Complaint, Crossclaim, Counterclaim or Third-Party Complaint, a default may be requested pursuant to Mass. R. Civ. P. 55(a). Default Judgment may be obtained by filing appropriate Affidavits with the Clerk of Court if the amount sought is for a sum certain. Otherwise, judgment may be obtained following a hearing to determine damages. Mass. R. Civ. P. 55(b).
Where you can find us
1583 Beacon Street • Brookline • MA 02446
Contact us anytime, 24/7. If we're up, we're responding!
