Usually, when a case is filed and you are served with a summons, a clock starts running. You have a limited time to respond to the lawsuit by filing a document known as an appearance and, in most cases, filing an answer to the complaint. If you fail to take these steps, you may lose your right to dispute the lawsuit and defend yourself. After you have filed your appearance and answer, a date may be set for either a trial or a report to the court on the status of the case. In the meantime, the parties have the right to conduct discovery.
Discovery is a process for each side to find out more about the issues in dispute.
It may require people to answer questions under oath in a deposition or through interrogatories. A deposition is an oral examination, while interrogatories are written answers to questions. In most courts, the judge will try to settle the case after discovery is completed and before the trial. The great majority of cases do settle without going to trial. When a civil case goes to trial, it may be heard and decided by a judge or a jury.