The three main steps of a civil trial are:
- Pleading/Commencing the Claim : This is the initial stage where the plaintiff files a complaint stating the facts, the laws violated, and the relief sought. The defendant then responds by filing an answer or a motion to dismiss
- Discovery and Pretrial Preparation : During this phase, both parties gather and exchange information, documents, and evidence to build their cases. This includes depositions, interrogatories, and pretrial conferences to prepare for trial
- Trial : The trial itself involves presenting opening arguments, testimony and evidence, closing arguments, and then a decision by a judge or jury. The jury selection process (voir dire) occurs before these steps if there is a jury trial
These steps correspond to the broader phases of civil litigation often described as pre-trial, trial, and post-trial, but specifically for the trial process itself, the key steps are pleading, discovery/pretrial, and trial
