If you are involved with a civil suit in California, your goal is obviously to win your case. Here, you may be the plaintiff in the case or the individual that files the suit, and you are looking to be awarded damages. If you are not the plaintiff, you are likely the defendant, and your objective is to avoid having to pay financial compensation to the plaintiff and potentially, even be awarded damages yourself. Lawsuits are always going to have a side that wins and a side that loses. Though, if you are on the losing side of a suit, that does not necessarily mean that your ability to continue taking legal action is over. You may be able to appeal a decision. While possible, but in very rare instances, your case may make its way all way up to the California Supreme Court to be heard.
If you are pursuing a civil suit in California, it can be advantageous to have an experienced attorney on your side who knows how the court system works and is a seasoned litigator. The Los Angeles civil attorney at the Leiva Law Firm can help you with your suit. Attorney Marlene Leiva has more than two decades of experience practicing law in the Golden State.
Cases that Make it to the California Supreme Court
When a lawsuit is first filed, it is done locally, and the case will first be heard at a local Superior Court in the applicable county. This is true for both civil and criminal cases. If the outcome of a civil case is determined at a Superior Court and the individual who loses does not believe that the ruling was correct, they can take their case to the Courts of Appeal. In the state of California, there are six of these appellate courts.
When a case is taken by the Court of Appeal, it will be reviewed. The appeals court will then either issue its own decision or determine that the case should go back to the lower court to be revisited. If the appeals court issues a decision that a party still believes is unacceptable or incorrect, they may try to proceed with their case and have it seen at the highest court in the state, the California Supreme Court.
It is possible to have the California Supreme Court hear a case, but there is no guarantee that a petition will be accepted by the California Supreme Court. In fact, most cases that are filed with the high court are not reviewed. Out of the thousands of petitions that are filed with the California Supreme Court every year, only a very small handful are granted. To better illustrate this, when more than a hundred are granted, this is on the high end.
Speak with an Attorney at the Leiva Law Firm
When you are having a civil suit filed against you or if you are filing one yourself, it is imperative to have an experienced and knowledgeable negotiator and litigator assisting you. When it is necessary to appeal, you need to have the most proficient legal counsel on your side prepared and ready to see your case to the end. For help with a civil suit in California, please call the Leiva Law Firm to schedule a free consultation at (818) 519-4465.
