How to start a civil lawsuit and what are the necessary steps to initiate legal proceedings?

To start a civil lawsuit, you must first file a complaint with the court outlining your legal claims. You will then need to serve the complaint to the defendant, who will have the opportunity to respond. The next steps typically involve discovery, where both parties gather evidence, and possibly mediation or settlement negotiations. If a resolution is not reached, the case will proceed to trial where a judge or jury will make a decision.