Civil Litigation Lawyer In Calgary
If you have been sued or you wish to sue someone, give Peter Sartore a call. A lawsuit can be a very stressful and emotionally taxing situation for anyone. Peter Sartore can help you through your lawsuit and through the extensive and complex rules of court and deal with your situation objectively. Mr. Sartore will take the time to listen to your needs and goals carefully and keeping in mind costs and the strength of your case we will work with you to come up with a strategy to achieve the most satisfactory result.
The body of laws in Canada is huge and Mr. Sartore enjoys the never-ending process of learning it, analysing it and processing it. Most cases have interesting fact scenarios and Mr. Sartore loves to explore those facts and analyse how the law applies to them. The law is sometimes spoken figuratively as a living tree in that it can be adjusted to fit modern society with what is just. Mr. Sartore takes pride in using novel arguments with your facts that help this tree grow. Maybe your fact scenario is a new leaf on the tree.
Most people find the legal process daunting with rules that fill many thick books. Mr. Sartore loves working through the logical process and will help you navigate through it and utilise any technical strategies that may assist your situation.
For civil litigation, there are generally two courts for trials in Alberta: Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and Provincial Court (also known as Small Claims Court)
Court of Queen’s Bench
Court of Queen’s Bench is the venue for civil litigation that can address most lawsuits. It is riddled with rules and has a more intensive “discovery” process. It can be very expensive and technical.
Small Claims Court
Small claims court (or Provincial Court – Civil division) is a more streamlined court process that allows costs to be kept down for smaller lawsuits (a maximum of $50,000 – you can abandon the part of your claim that is more than $50,000). A lawyer may be too expensive for very small lawsuits and there is no need for a lawyer to represent you in small claims court. Nevertheless, it may be of benefit to seek the advice of a lawyer to assist you in preparing your case. If you have been sued in small claims court or are considering pursuing such a claim, give us a call to help you out.
Avoiding Trial
There are alternatives to the court process itself including mediation or arbitration. These processes happen outside of court and the parties dictate the terms. They can cost less in some situations. Settlement at any stage is an option and a lawyer can help you understand the strength of your case, the costs and when settlement is a good option. Sometimes a great settlement can be achieved without the expenses of trial.
DON’T DELAY
Lawsuits cannot be pursued indefinitely. There are limitation periods for which you need to commence your lawsuit. If you take too long to file a claim you may lose your claim. Call us to discuss.