Okuzeka
Contract & Commercial Law vocabulary · Disputes & Arbitration

Litigation

Meaning in contract & commercial law, with examples

/ˌlɪtɪˈɡeɪʃn/nounCore term

In contract & commercial law, litigation means: The process of taking a dispute to a national court and having a judge decide it, as opposed to resolving it through arbitration or mediation.

In Turkish: dava, yargılama, dava süreci

How it is used

Usually uncountable ('litigation is expensive'). Law firms have litigation departments and lawyers called litigators. Parties try to avoid litigation, threaten it or are 'in litigation'. Pending litigation must often be disclosed in M&A deals.

Example sentences

  1. We would rather settle than spend two years in litigation.

  2. The seller confirmed that there is no pending litigation against the company.

Common collocations

  • pending litigation
  • commercial litigation
  • avoid litigation
  • litigation costs
  • threatened litigation
  • disputeA disagreement between parties about their rights or obligations, for example over payment, quality or the meaning of a clause.
  • arbitrationA private way of resolving disputes in which the parties agree to let one or more independent arbitrators decide the case instead of a national court.
  • settlementAn agreement that ends a dispute or lawsuit, usually with one party paying an agreed amount and both sides dropping their claims.
  • jurisdictionThe power of a court to hear and decide a case; also a country or territory with its own courts and laws.
  • limitation periodThe time limit within which a legal claim must be started; after it expires, the claim is usually barred.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Disputes & Arbitration

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.