Litigation is the traditional form of dispute resolution; based on taking action through the court. A judge sits and listens to arguments on the interpretation of the relevant law, as applied to the particular dispute, and then makes a decision as to who wins.

The main point about litigation is that the courts are concerned primarily with applying ‘public policy’ and adhering strictly to the law of the land, down to the finest detail.

Unlike with many non-court dispute resolution methods, a judge normally has little flexibility to consider what might be ‘fair treatment’ between the parties. This is an important point to note when pursuing a litigation case.

Civil Litigation is very broad and far reaching. It concerns the law relating to disputes between individuals and organisations. Criminal Laws can often be applied and used in tandem for civil litigation hearings. Common examples of civil litigation cases would be, property disputes, probate and wills, libel and accident damages.

1 in 4 people in the UK will become involved in a legal dispute at some point in their lives.