Civil litigation is a legal process in which a non-criminal legal dispute is resolved in the court of law. In most cases, plaintiffs seek compensation from defendants for the damages or harm that the accused party has caused. There are several types of cases that come within the umbrella of civil litigation. In this blog, we will discuss the five most common types of civil litigation and the role of the litigation lawyer in proceedings.
Five types of civil litigation
Contract Disputes
A contract dispute occurs when one or several people who have signed the same contact cannot fulfill the legal obligation due to one or many reasons. Most commonly the issue arises because the terms in the contract were poorly written or due to overexertion, in which an individual or a group of people who are linked to the contract cannot provide enough money or physical support as prescribed in the contract.
Tort Claims
Tort claims can be filed against an individual or business and involve charges of alleged negligence. Here the plaintiff demands for punitive damages to decompensate for medical bills, money, or lost time spent replacing the damaged property.
Property Disputes
In a property dispute, the issue mostly involves claiming over a land or estate property as the rightful owner. However, in some cases, a property dispute might be filed against an individual or group of people for damaging the property. The most common type of property disputes involve property lines. A civil case is filed when a portion of land is used or damaged by one neighbor, which the other neighbor believes to own it.
Class Action Claims
Similar to tort cases, class action suits involve charges of alleged negligence. However, in this case, the “defendant” is mostly a corporation or a business group. In this case, the defendant is accused of intentional acts or negligence that has harmed a group or class of people. This could be in terms of exposure to defective products, hazardous materials, or physical illness.
Complaints Against the City
These cases are often an individual or group of people who file against the city of the federal government. The issue can arise when some action done by the federal government has caused harm to the citizens or when someone’s civil rights are violated.
The Role of Litigation Attorneys
The role of the litigation attorney is to represent their clients across different stages of proceedings, including pretrial hearings, depositions, arbitration as well as mediation. They manage all stages of the litigation from investigation, discovery, and pleadings through trials and settlement.
Whether you are a plaintiff or defendant, you want to first make sure that you are hiring an attorney who specializes in the same area of the law you are dealing with. You want to sit down for a consultation, share details about your situation, and then ask your lawyer how they can help improve your chance of winning.
At Cahalan & Krall in Michigan, we’ve been efficient in providing services for trials, mediations, depositions, and more. Call us today to learn how our lawyers can help you with your case.