Civil Litigation

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Kamloops Litigation and Disputes Lawyer

Lawsuits and other courtroom legal proceedings on the BC Supreme Court and Court of Appeal

Litigation claims encompass a wide range of legal disputes that can arise in various areas of law. These include:

Negligence:

  • Negligence occurs when a person fails to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm to another person. It includes elements such as duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages.

Trespass to Chattels/Conversion:

  • Trespass to chattels involves interfering with someone’s personal property, while conversion is a more serious interference that amounts to the theft or wrongful possession of property.

Nuisance:

  • Nuisance involves unreasonable interference with another person’s use and enjoyment of their property. It can be either private (affecting individuals) or public (affecting the community).

Fraud:

  • Fraud involves intentional deception or misrepresentation to gain an advantage or cause harm to another person.

Contractual Disputes:

  • These disputes arise when one party alleges that another party breached a contract. It can involve issues related to the terms, performance, or non-performance of a contract.

Property Disputes:

  • Property litigation can include disputes over ownership, boundaries, easements, adverse possession, or real estate transactions.

Employment Disputes:

  • These claims involve issues related to employment contracts, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage disputes, and workplace injuries.

Commercial Litigation:

  • Commercial disputes can encompass a wide range of business-related matters, including shareholder disputes, partnership disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and competition law issues.

Construction Litigation:

  • These claims involve disputes related to construction contracts, defects in construction, delays, and disagreements between contractors, owners, and subcontractors.

Estate and Probate Litigation:

  • Disputes involving wills, trusts, inheritances, and estate administration can lead to estate and probate litigation.

In civil litigation, proof is on a “Balance of probabilities”. This means that a judge must be satisfied something probably happened. This is a lower standard than in criminal litigation, where facts must be proven “Beyond a reasonable doubt”

Our Process

1. Review the facts and gather documents

The process begins with a thorough consultation with the client. The attorney gathers information about the client’s situation, goals, and concerns.

2. Discuss settlement

Settlement negotiations before litigation are often a critical phase in the legal process that aims to resolve disputes between parties without the need for a formal lawsuit or court trial.

3. Initial Pleadings

Depending on whether you are the plaintiff (initiating the lawsuit) or defendant (responding to a lawsuit), your lawyer will draft and file the necessary legal documents called a pleading, such as a complaint or an answer. a pleading is a formal written document that sets out the claims, defenses, and allegations of the parties involved in a lawsuit. Pleadings play a crucial role in the litigation process as they define the issues in dispute, establish the legal framework for the case, and provide notice to all parties about the nature of the claims and defenses.

4. Discovery

Document production in litigation is a critical phase of the discovery process where parties involved in a lawsuit are required to exchange relevant documents and information. This process aims to promote transparency, ensure fairness, and allow each party to build its case based on the available evidence.

Examination for discovery, also known as a deposition in some jurisdictions, is a crucial pre-trial procedure in civil litigation that allows parties to a lawsuit to obtain information and evidence from each other’s witnesses and parties. The purpose of an examination for discovery is to allow the parties to gather evidence, clarify facts, and assess the strength and weaknesses of their case.

5. Prepare for trial

Preparing for a trial is a complex and multifaceted process that involves careful planning, legal research, document review, witness preparation, and strategy development.

Time for Litigation

Litigation timelines can range from several months to several years or more. Simple cases may be resolved in a matter of months, while complex, heavily contested cases can take several years to reach a final resolution. It’s essential for parties involved in litigation to consult with their legal counsel, who can provide a more accurate estimate of the likely duration based on the specific circumstances of their case and the relevant jurisdiction.

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Private

Legal privilege, also known as attorney-client privilege or solicitor-client privilege, is a fundamental legal principle that protects certain confidential communications between a client and their legal counsel from being disclosed or used as evidence in court or other legal proceedings.
Gavel for Litigation

Legal Protection

While hiring a lawyer involves legal fees, the benefits often outweigh the costs, especially in complex or high-stakes legal matters.
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We Take Care

Lawyers have extensive training and education in the law, allowing them to provide you with expert legal advice and guidance. They are well-versed in the intricacies of the legal system and can interpret complex laws and regulations.

Supreme Court

Supreme Court

  1. The Supreme Court of British Columbia has broader jurisdiction and can hear a wide range of civil and family law cases, including complex and high-value matters.
  2. Handles complex civil cases, including personal injury claims, contract disputes, and family law matters involving significant assets.
  3. Typically involves more formal legal procedures and rules.
  4. Parties may be represented by lawyers.
  5. Legal proceedings can be lengthy and complex.
  6. In some cases, the successful party may be awarded a portion of their legal costs by the court.
  7. Legal costs can be significant due to the formal nature of proceedings and the involvement of lawyers.

Provincial Small Claims

Provincial Small Claims Court

  1. Primarily deals with smaller civil disputes, such as contractual disputes, landlord-tenant issues, debt collection, property damage claims, and personal injury claims below the monetary limit. The monetary limit as of 2024 is $35,000. 
  2. Designed to be more accessible to individuals without legal representation.
  3. Simplified and streamlined procedures, with an emphasis on informal dispute resolution.
  4. Generally faster and less complex than Supreme Court proceedings.
  5. While parties can have legal representation in Small Claims Court, it is not required or common. Many individuals represent themselves in Small Claims Court proceedings.
  6. Generally, legal costs are limited, and parties are not typically awarded substantial legal costs.

Resources

For more detailed information, you can refer to resources like the Supreme Court BC and CanLII Manual to British Columbia Civil Litigation.

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Courtney AuBuchon

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