Other Litigation

Litigation is a broad term within the legal world. It comes in both criminal law and several civil law varieties. In addition to personal injury and guardianship, other situations occasionally require courtroom involvement for resolution. Some of the most frequent situations involving litigation tend to be business, real estate, family law (divorces, custody disputes).

Business (Commercial) Litigation

Breach of Contract cases are among the most common reasons businesses go into litigation. Disagreements between the parties about what their contract says or means is the reason for most disputes, and these agreements may be oral or in writing. Disputes may be between two businesses or between a business and a consumer. The court applies the legal doctrine of contra proferentem in breach of contract cases, meaning in the light least favorable to the drafter. This is done to prevent the party that prepared the contract from making it intentionally vague or murky for their own benefit. Business related litigation may encompass various other areas such as fee disputes or construction specifications, but a dispute of some sort regarding what was agreed to is almost always at the core.

Real Estate Litigation

Disputes between landlord and tenant are a common form of real estate related litigation many people encounter. This may include, but is not limited to: evictions for non-payment of rent, disputes regarding the contract or return of deposit, and disputes regarding the condition of the property. It is possible for both the landlord and the tenant to bring actions against each other, although for different things. Real estate litigation may also encompass matters most people are less likely to encounter such as land use issues, title disputes, and homeowners association disputes. 

Family Law Litigation

Although our firm rarely ever handles family law matters, we mention it because it is probably the most common type of case that can end up in court. Family law of course includes things such as divorces and custody issues, which if not resolved go before a judge. Our firm occasionally handles some family law matters pro bono through legal aid organizations, but most of the time we refer you to an attorney specializing in family law if you bring this type of matter before us.

Employment (Labor Law) Litigation

This too is another area that our firm rarely handles, but we mention it because of how common it is. Generally, employment litigation begins in an administrative organization such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Department of Labor (DOL). Disputes in this area of law center include matters such as wrongful termination, age discrimination, and sex discrimination, among others. As with family law matters, most of the time we refer you to an attorney specializing in employment law if you bring this type of matter before us.