I think a lot depends on the judge. Some judges have no patience for pro se litigants, probably based on thinking that they waste a lot of court...

Can you settle a civil lawsuit for more than you wrote in your filed complaint without amending it?

The short answer is Yes you can, but don't count on the other side offering more than was demanded in the original complaint. The amount you demand...

It sounds like your ex-husband is resentful that it appears to him that you do not value your kids enough to want to spend all your available time...

What are my ADR options?

Mediation is all about agreement, and the first thing you need to agree on is the mediator. If you can do that, it bodes well for being able to...

What does a mediator look for in terms of preparedness?

It's good that you have thought through all of the issues. You should also think about how your presentation is going to be received by your ex,...

Is there still enough time to retain the services of an attorney on short notice for early mediation w/ DFEH and respondents?

I don't know if you have been able to find an attorney yet. If you have, it's probably a good idea, so that your attorney can advise you on whether...

I try to avoid using the word "compromise," because it suggests that one side or the other is getting less than they are entitled to. What you want...

I know that the usual course of civil litigation is Plaintiff serves complaint, Defendant responds, then Discovery, then ...

What you need to do to decide whether this strategy makes sense is to figure out what elements you need to prove to win the case, and then figure...

If the due date for response to interragatories is the date of the trial, can I serve my response that day, after the trial?

It is possible the trial will not actually start that day, so you would still be providing answers before the trial. It is also possible that the...

Who is responsible for paying the $7000 extra if an attorney spends $40K when he quoted client $33 for a cost?

It depends on whether the attorney merely gave you an estimate or whether he promised that the fee would not exceed that amount. And in addition to...