The process set out under the Rules of Civil Procedure for the hearing of a civil litigation matter can be confusing and complex.  For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand the many steps a lawsuit might take as it works its way through the Court.  Be aware that there are reliable public resources that can help.

For instance, the Ministry of the Attorney General recently updated flowcharts that illustrate the various steps.  The flowcharts, which are available through this link as a pdf, provide a very useful overview and are an excellent resource to help understand litigation from a global perspective.