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START TO FINISH

The system has a map. You were never handed it.

See the whole path — filing, service, discovery, motions, negotiation, hearing, judgment, appeal — and where you are on it right now.

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Sound familiar?

The playbook

  1. 01

    Stage 1 — Filing and notice

    Who started it, what's alleged, how you were served, what's due.

  2. 02

    Stage 2 — Response and appearances

    Answers, first appearances, and the dates that lock in.

  3. 03

    Stage 3 — Discovery and evidence

    What each side must hand over, and how to ask for it.

  4. 04

    Stage 4 — Motions and negotiation

    Where most matters are actually decided.

  5. 05

    Stage 5 — Hearing, judgment, after

    Trial or hearing, ruling, compliance, appeal windows.

Attached resources

Included with your TNL Mock Trial signup for this path.

Common questions

What are the stages of a court case?
Most cases move through five stages: filing and notice, response and first appearances, discovery and evidence exchange, motions and negotiation, then hearing or trial, judgment, and any appeal. Each stage has its own deadlines and its own things expected of you.
How long does a court case take?
Simple matters can resolve in a few months, while contested civil or criminal cases commonly run one to two years because discovery, motions, and calendar availability drive the pace more than the facts do.
What is discovery?
Discovery is the stage where each side must hand over the evidence it holds — documents, records, statements, and answers to written questions — so neither side is surprised at the hearing. If you have not seen your file, this is what you ask for.
What happens after a judgment?
The judgment states what each side must do and by when. Compliance deadlines and appeal windows start running immediately and are often short, so read the order the day you receive it.
THE ONLY NEXT STEP

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Other paths

Help with your public defender

Walk into every meeting with a written record, the right questions, and a clear ask — so your defender can actually move your case.

Do I have a case?

Learn what a claim or defense actually needs — facts, harm, proof, deadlines — and see where yours is strong or thin before anyone bills you an hour.

Help with citizenship

Understand the steps, the interview, and the hearing — and practice answering under pressure, in plain language, before your date.

How to prepare for court

A rehearsal-first plan: what to bring, what to wear, what to say, when to stop talking — practiced out loud until it's boring.

Is it legal?

Learn how to research a rule, read what it actually says, and tell the difference between illegal, unenforceable, and just unfair.