Maryland Class Action Lawsuits

Class action lawsuits are determined by the number of plaintiffs. A case could start as a civil dispute but if during the discovery process it is learned that there are numerous people that are in the same situation and have been harmed in a similar way as the plaintiff, then the court will certify the class and let it proceed pursuant to class action rules.

For more information about Maryland class action lawsuits, contact a dedicated civil litigation attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer could inform you of the process and advise you on what your legal options may be. Call today and set up a consultation.

Investigation Process

When a case is filed, there will be an investigation process. During the investigation phase, attorneys will never stop researching the facts of the case. They want to leave no stone unturned. Lawyers see what is really going on in the case and what happened before and after the event. After investigating the case, the attorney will determine the best way to approach the lawsuit.

Discovery Period of a Class Action Case

The methods of discovery used in Maryland class action lawsuits include written discovery such as interrogatories, requests for production of documents, and requests for admissions. A request for admission is when the lawyer asks the other side to admit to the truthfulness of certain facts. Then there will be questions under oath, which are called depositions. This allows the attorney to ask the other side questions about certain events and documents.

The tools that a lawyer has in the discovery period are dictated by the rules of the court. Some courts allow only limited discovery or none at all. Once a case gets into general trial courts, there are rules that tell the parties what they can and cannot do in the discovery process.

Understanding Subpoenas

A subpoena is a written command from a court to appear before it. It is an act of the court in which the court can compel a person to appear either at a deposition or at trial. An attorney would invite witnesses to testify on the plaintiff’s behalf simply by reaching out to them and coordinating when they will come and testify. But if the witnesses are hostile, the attorney will have to get a subpoena issued and served on them so that they know that the court is commanding them to appear for the deposition or the trial.

Serving a Subpoena

There are some practicalities of serving a party with a subpoena. First, the individual has to consider a few things. For instance, all states have limitations on where a person can serve someone a subpoena and when. Some states do not allow subpoenas to be served on Sundays. Other states may not allow a person to serve someone outside of the state. If they go outside of the state, they may need to get certain orders from the court before serving the subpoena.

For example, if a lawyer wanted a witness in California, the lawyer would have to get the Maryland court to issue a subpoena and take it to California. They would then need to get the California court to issue another subpoena and serve it to the individual in California. The lawyer then has to take the deposition in California. For more information about subpoenas and Maryland class action lawsuits, consult with a skilled lawyer.

Evidence Used to Build a Maryland Class Action Lawsuit

Evidence used to build Maryland class action lawsuits include eyewitness testimony from the people who saw the issue at hand or who were involved in the transaction Documentary evidence or other demonstrative evidence is also used. The lawyer could hire someone to put together a video of what happened or a drawing of what something should look like as opposed to what it ended up looking like.

If you have any questions about Maryland class action lawsuits and how an attorney could help you, call today.