Rule 3.2 Expediting Litigation

Lawyers are expected to keep a case moving forward and avoid unnecessary delays. This means a lawyer should not drag out a lawsuit just to run up costs, wear down the other side, or make things harder for anyone involved. At the same time, the lawyer still needs to do what is best for their client while following this rule.

This rule also makes clear that lawyers can still be reasonable with each other. A lawyer can agree to a fair request from the other side, like giving them more time to file something, even if it slows things down a little. Lawyers can also make their own calls on things like how many depositions to schedule or how to handle written questions in the case, even if the client wants to handle those details differently. These are considered normal decisions about how to run the case, not attempts to delay it.