Civil Litigation

  There are several steps in the civil litigation process, but the most time consuming of them all is the discovery stage. The discovery stage is when the lawyer gathers all information about the case, building up your claim, defense, or a technical argument. These cases can be settled at any time, from before suit is filed even while you are in the middle of a trial. Depending on which route you take, a civil litigation case can take from a few months if you are open to negotiation or up to several years if you wish to get a verdict from the court or if matters go to a court of appeals.

  The main difference between litigation and arbitration is that to solve a case of litigation you must be in court, but arbitration can be settled outside of a court room. Agreements to arbitrate are a contracted agreement between the parties. An appeal is not typically allowed if you go the arbitration route, the decision is final. Unlike litigation, where you can file an appeal if you believe it to be necessary. 

  The purpose of arbitration is to settle the dispute without having to go to court to find a resolution. To do this, an impartial arbitrator is consulted to be the bridge between parties. This acts as a fast track to a resolution because it streamlines the discovery process and minimizes procedural arguments.