Commonly Asked Questions
What kinds of cases do you take?
Our areas of litigation practice include:
- Personal Injury
- Land Use and Development Litigation
- Complex Business and Commercial Litigation
- Insurance Bad Faith Litigation
- Real Estate Development
- ERISA
Do you charge for an initial consultation?
An initial consultation with someone from our office,
whether it is via telephone conference or face-to-face,
is FREE.
How do you bill for work performed?
We bill in two methods. Some work is billed monthly at an hourly rate, plus costs. Some cases are handled on a contingency basis, in which Jessica Rutzick & Associates, P.C. retains a percentage of any monetary award you receive in compensation for your case, such as a settlement or in court. Should you receive no compensation, you will owe NO attorney’s fees.
Do you accept retainers?
Should a retainer be requested for your matter, it will
be held in our client trust account at our bank and be
disbursed in accordance with our representation
agreement and the Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct.
Can you represent people who don’t live in Wyoming?
Yes. Jessica is licensed to practice in Wyoming, Idaho, and Minnesota.
If a case is filed in another state, a local attorney from that state may work with our firm with authorization from the court. Both attorney’s fees for Jessica Rutzick & Associates, P.C. and the local attorney’s fees are included in the representation agreement entered into with us, so the client does not pay additional fees for the local lawyer’s services.
What happens after a complaint is filed?
After the complaint is filed and answered by the opposition, one side will move for the court to hold a scheduling conference with the attorneys, during which the case’s schedule is set. There will be a time for discovery, a deadline in which to mediate the case, and in some cases, the trial date will be set.
Additionally, after a complaint has been filed and answered, initial disclosures are exchanged between the parties. In the disclosures, we provide a list of any individuals with knowledge of the events or issues complained of, as well as copies of any and all documents in our possession that are relevant to the case. The other side must do the same.
What is discovery?
Discovery is the process in litigation, during which evidence is gathered over the course of anywhere from a couple weeks to months and may be extended. Forms of discovery include pleadings: interrogatories, which are questions; request for production of documents, in which one side asks another to provide specific documents; and request for admissions, which are statements that may be denied or admitted. A deposition is an interview given under oath before a certified court reporter. Should you be scheduled for one, one of our attorneys will be there to represent you.
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