Do We Have to Go to Court for a Sexual Assault Case? Can We Just Settle?
Most civil lawsuits are resolved before the case reaches trial. If you are required to appear in court for any reason throughout the duration of your case, we will discuss this with you in advance of the court date. Most court hearings only require the attorneys to be present and are often held telephonically or via video conference.
What is My Role in the Legal Process?
There are a few key aspects of your case that we will need you to be a participant in. Most importantly, we need you to be responsive to the team working with you on your case. There are various points throughout your case where you will be heavily involved and we will need to talk with you several times in the span of a few weeks, yet at other times we will only need to talk with you every couple of months.
Throughout the process, you are free to reach out to us anytime if you have questions or thoughts you want to share. It’s important to us that our clients feel empowered throughout the legal process.
What Decisions Do I Get to Make When It Comes to My Case?
It is unlikely that your name could remain anonymous if your case went to trial. A trial would most likely require you to appear in court. However, most civil lawsuits do not reach the trial stage and are often resolved in mediation where the parties agree to a resolution before trial. It is not a guarantee your case will be settled in mediation and the attorneys and legal team working on your case can discuss this further with you.
Why Don’t Most Child Sexual Abuse Cases Go to Trial?
There are various reasons including court capacity, public exposure for a survivor and/or the defendant and perpetrator, and cost-efficiency.