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How Much Does a Civil Lawsuit Cost?

The cost of a civil lawsuit depends heavily on (i) the scope of the legal and factual issues involved; (ii) the amount of information that needs to be exchanged and reviewed in discovery; and (iii) the willingness of both parties to engage in meaningful settlement negotiations early in the process.

If you are paying your attorney by the hour, the following are rough guidelines for the time you should expect your attorney to spend:
  • Researching, drafting and filing the complaint: 15-20 hours.
  • Responding to a complaint (including investigating the facts): 15-20 hours
  • Drafting written discovery: 5-10 hours
  • Responding to written discovery: 5-10 hours for the written documents.  It is not possible to predict the amount of time to review and produce documents, as the volume of documents varies from case to case.
  • Taking or defending depositions:  12 hours per deposition, including preparation.  Remember there are additional out of pocket costs for the court reporter, generally $500-$1,000 per deposition.
  • Drafting or Responding to a Summary Judgment motion: 20-30 hours.
  • Trial and Trial Preparation: 10 hours a day for each day of trial time, and 12 hours a day for the same number of days in preparation.

If you are on a contingent fee agreement, these hourly amounts may affect the amount of the fee that is contingent on you recovering damages.  You also will likely have to cover the out of pocket costs for depositions.


Learn more here about what to expect as a defendant in a civil suit in Massachusetts.

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  • Home
  • Employment Law
    • Guide To Employment Law Content
    • Employment Contracts in Massachusetts
    • Discrimination in the Workplace
    • Employment Termination >
      • Massachusetts Paid Family Leave
      • Severance Pay
      • Unemployment in Massachusetts
    • Sexual Harassment at Work >
      • Sexual Harassment in a Small Business
      • Sexual Harassment and Non Disclosure Agreements
      • Sexual Harassment and Remote Work
    • Wage and Hour Laws
    • Independent Contractor Law
    • Non Compete Agreements >
      • Are non competes enforceable
      • Massachusetts Non Compete Act
      • Pre 2018 Massachusetts Non Competes
  • Estate Planning
    • Guide To Estate Planning Content
    • Legacy Protection
    • Why You Need an Estate Plan
    • Why You Don't Have an Estate Plan
    • Estate Planning Documents >
      • Children with Special Needs
    • Planning for Assisted Living
    • Probate Process
  • Business Law
    • Guide To Business Law Content
    • Small Business Law
    • Business Contract Basics
    • Civil Suit Defense
    • Legal Issues for Start Ups
    • Trademark Basics
    • How to Incorporate
    • Sale of Business
  • About
    • Reviews
    • Slnlaw Offices
    • slnlaw core values
    • Publications and Interviews
    • New Client Intake and Consultation
    • Contact
  • Attorneys
    • Emily Smith-Lee >
      • 2018 Lawyer of the Year
    • Jenna Ordway
    • Rebecca Rogers
    • Sharleen Tinnin
    • Elijah Bresley
  • Legal FAQs
    • Estate Planning FAQs
    • Probate FAQs
    • Small Business FAQs
    • Wage Act FAQs
    • Commission Pay FAQs
    • Overtime FAQs
    • Independent Contractor FAQs
    • Non Compete FAQs
    • Employment Discrimination FAQs
    • Employment Termination FAQs
    • Massachusettts Unemployment FAQs
    • Severance Package FAQs
    • Medical Leave FAQs
    • Sexual Harassment FAQs
    • Employer FAQs
    • Civil Lawsuit FAQs
  • Blog