Montrose Civil & Commercial
Litigation Lawyer

When you find yourself stuck in a legal disagreement involving a private business or a government office, civil litigation often becomes the path you must take to find a resolution. The financial health of your local company or your own personal stability might be on the line, which means you cannot simply hand over such a heavy burden to just any lawyer who happens to be available. You require an advocate who understands the stakes of your situation and has the background to handle it, especially now that Brent Martin has returned home to Montrose to resume his full-time practice of law.

At The Martin Law Firm, we function as dedicated supporters for our neighbors in Montrose and across the Western Slope. Our founder, Brent Martin, is a seasoned trial attorney who brings over 20 years of experience fighting for clients in Colorado courts and has represented thousands of people in serious cases since 2001.

You can call (970) 730-4354 today to begin your case.

Co-Counsel with Ogborn Mihm, LLP

To ensure our clients have access to the highest level of resources, we co-counsel with the Denver firm of Ogborn Mihm, LLP, a national firm that brings a deep bench of expertise to complex business disputes and professional negligence claims. This partnership allows us to combine local Montrose roots with the power of a national firm that has close relationships with the best expert witnesses in the land. Our Montrose civil litigation attorneys provide strategies and solutions that we build specifically for your specific legal circumstances. To find out what our team can do for you, contact us to set up an initial case evaluation.

What Does Civil Litigation Involve?

Civil litigation is the legal structure used to settle disputes between people, businesses, or various organizations. This is not the same as a criminal case, where the government prosecutes someone for breaking a law. Instead, civil litigation usually centers on lawsuits where one person wants money for damages or wants the court to order another person to take a specific action. Because Brent Martin is easy to reach and always interested in addressing your legal problems, he can help determine if your conflict requires formal court intervention.

Some examples of the types of problems that civil litigation can fix include:

• Personal injury and insurance bad faith
• Business and commercial disputes
• Employment and labor disagreements
• Real estate and construction defects
• Torts and professional malpractice
• Class actions

If you want to recover damages from a major corporation or a professional who has treated you unfairly under Colorado law, you should talk to our Montrose civil litigation lawyers for assistance. On the other hand, you should get in touch with us the moment you receive a summons or if you suspect a lawsuit is coming your way because we can provide the help you need to keep your rights and interests safe when battling wrongdoers.

The Stages of a Civil Lawsuit

Within the world of civil litigation, the individual who starts the lawsuit is the plaintiff, and the person or company being sued is the defendant. In Colorado, the plaintiff holds the burden of proving the case by a preponderance of the evidence, which essentially means they must show that it is more likely than not that their version of events is the truth. Whether you are experiencing a contract dispute or a complex industrial injury claim, the steps remain largely the same.

The journey of civil litigation usually starts when the plaintiff files a formal complaint that lists their legal claims against the defendant. Once that is filed, the defendant gets a chance to respond by filing an answer, and they might even choose to file counterclaims if they believe the plaintiff is actually the one at fault. After the initial paperwork is done, both sides enter a phase called discovery, where they trade documents, take depositions, and gather all the evidence they need to build their arguments. Through our connection with Ogborn Mihm, we have the ability to handle cases involving massive amounts of evidence and testimony across the nation.

Civil litigation also includes pre-trial motions, where your lawyer asks the court to make specific rulings before the trial actually starts. This might involve a motion to dismiss, which tries to stop the case early, or a motion for summary judgment, where we ask the judge to decide the case immediately because the facts are so clear that a trial is not even necessary.

If the two sides cannot agree on a settlement through private talks, the matter moves into a courtroom for a trial. During this time, both parties show their evidence to a judge or a jury, and those individuals will make the final choice on who wins. While our team has vast trial experience, we also have the expertise required to settle cases at very high levels before they ever reach a jury. Even after the court reaches a verdict, the losing party might decide to appeal the decision if they think a legal mistake happened or the result was unfair, which can make the process go on for quite a long time while lawyers argue complex points in higher courts.

How Can The Martin Law Firm Assist Me?

Our civil litigation attorneys in Montrose at The Martin Law Firm are ready to help whether you are the one filing a claim or the one defending yourself against accusations of wrongdoing. We offer the representation that individuals and business owners need to ensure their interests remain protected from start to finish, and we are glad to be back serving this community.

Brent Martin has spent more than 23 years going through difficult legal matters with his clients and fighting for them in front of judges in Colorado. By joining forces with a national firm like Ogborn Mihm, we provide our clients with a unique combination of local accessibility and national-level litigation power. We work hard to make sure every person who walks through our doors gets the personalized attention they deserve during a stressful time.

For additional details on how we can stand by you, reach out to us at (970) 730-4354 to schedule your free consultation today.