I m a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit, and the defendant filed an answer and countersuit I filed for bankruptcy before they answered. Next?

If you filed for bankruptcy in answer to being sued, it sure looks like an admission of liability. It could cause you to lose your case as a plaintiff, if the two cases are that closely related. If you filed BEFORE the answer and countersuit took place, it would be harder to make the connection - you could argue that your filing had nothing to do with escaping a judgment on a lost countersuit (as it hadn't been filed). But, the bankruptcy might be delayed pending the outcome of your lawsuit, as anything you won could go to satisfy your creditors.

You go to court, and in California if you lose, the defendant can sue you for legal fees.

Now ask a question that makes sense.

In my lawsuit, I didn’t have to file for bankruptcy because I won before the lawsuit started lol