What exactly is the Legal Process?

[Kryu]

My text book has some basics but my teacher keeps telling me it's "a long and complex process".
Please help.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

The legal process usually is a long process, except in certain circumstances when it is expedited, e.g. when a landlord is trying to remove a tenant that hasn't paid rent in months.

Typically there is a complaint filed by the plaintiff. The defendant has time to answer the complaint. Then there could be a series of dueling paperwork, each answering the other. Then there is discovery, where each side gets to request information from the other side in order to prove that side's case. There could be testimony given out of court, the interviewing of the witnesses before trial ("EBT"). We haven't even gotten to court -- where a trial is held based upon all this information obtained by each party...

Thus, it can be a long and expensive process.