Introduction

Pete Fowler Construction has worked on thousands of civil litigation cases over the last 20 years, so we know a thing or two about the subject. But a little bit of knowledge is dangerous, and a lot of knowledge can make a simple explanation harder than it needs to be. For this reason, "The Basics of Civil Litigation and Expert Witnesses" program is aimed at (A.) non-lawyers who need to understand the process (that's us), and (B.) lawyers who need to explain the process to non-lawyers. 

Our company's job on all litigated matters is to help clients figure out what happened, what should have happened, how the problem should be solved, how much it will cost, and who is responsible. The hardest part is translating the technical speak of building design, engineering, estimating, contracting, construction, and investigations, into plain-English that everyone can understand and use to make smart decisions. Our lawyer clients have the same problem trying to explain the litigation process to the non-lawyers they work with to bring cases to a successful end (something this program aims to help with). 

Civil litigation is a suit based on non-criminal disputes, including contract disputes, property damage claims, personal injuries, construction defect litigation, landlord-tenant disputes, and more. This program is a map of the terrain for understanding how civil litigation works and where expert witnesses fit in the process. 

Learning Objectives

• Gain a basic understanding the civil litigation process, from beginning to end, as it relates to construction. 

• Learn from examples of real-world case studies of the types of civil litigation cases often encountered in construction. 

• Learn where and how expert witnesses fit into the civil litigation process. 

• Understand the roles and responsibilities of the parties to litigation. 

Program Outline

1. Introduction 

2. Civil Litigation Overview 

3. Roles and Responsibilities 

4. Stages 

5. Alternative Dispute Resolution 

6. How Expert Witnesses Fit In 

7. Conclusion 

Our Panel

Continuing Education Credit

A disclaimer that this webinar requires you to answer all polling questions to receive continuing education credit. Credit will not be given to those who miss a polling question, or to those that are determined to be inattentive by On24's software. Some states require an affidavit for credit eligibility, which will be sent to the appropriate attendees via email after the webinar. This affidavit can also be completed during the live webinar using the widget provided on screen. The entire program must be attended live to receive credit, and continuing education certificates will be sent out within one week of the webinar.

This webinar is either approved or is pending approval for 1.0 credit hour of both CE (insurance) and MCLE (legal) continuing education credit in the following states:

• Texas

• California

• Nevada

• Florida