First, a plaintiff must file a complaint with the court that has jurisdiction over the case. The court then reviews the complaint and may order the plaintiff to make corrections if necessary. After that, the court sets the date for the first hearing and serves the complaint and a notice of hearing on the defendant.

Once the defendant is served, they must submit a written answer to the complaint. If the defendant neither files an answer nor appears at the first hearing, the court may render a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff.

After the first hearing, the court usually holds preparatory proceedings to clarify the issues in dispute. These proceedings are typically conducted in a conference room at the courthouse rather than in an open courtroom. Unlike formal hearings, these sessions are not open to the public. In recent years, many of these proceedings have been conducted online instead of in person.

Both parties submit their arguments and evidence several times. Once the issues have been sufficiently clarified, witness examinations are conducted in open court. Before or after the examination of witnesses, the court usually asks the parties whether they are willing to settle the case. If either party refuses to settle, the court will render a judgment.

From the filing of the complaint to the judgment, the process typically takes more than one year.