Find Litigation & Appeals Attorney By Lorraine Fisher
Litigation is the process of the courts resolving disputes between two parties, whether those parties are individuals, corporations, a government entity or a nonprofit association. The courts making these decisions may reside at the county, state, or federal levels of the law. When one of the two parties involved in the case disagrees with the court's decision, that party has the right to appeal (unless, of course, all appeals have been exhausted and the case is already being heard by the highest possible court).
Settlements
While many people outside the United States view Americans as being overly litigious, the fact is that most cases are settled out of court. Certainly, there are frivolous lawsuits brought before the courts, but it is a costly process that involves lawyers' fees and loss of wages from employment, not to mention the bad press that corporations may receive from a high profile case. All of these factors entice many companies into settling before the case ever comes before a jury at trial.
Types of Cases
Both civil and criminal cases may go to trial. Examples of civil cases include: patent law infringement, immigration violations, and product safety issues. Assault, burglary, manslaughter, hate crimes, and other violent offenses all comprise the category of criminal cases. A criminal defense lawyer would handle those types of cases.
Appeals
There are 13 Circuit Courts of Appeals in the Federal Circuit. Decisions made by these courts are generally handed down by a panel of judges who are appointed by the President of the United States, with advice by the U.S. Senate. Losing parties in cases heard by these panels may seek a review of the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Common Goals
The goals of going to trial are usually the same, whether the case is civil or criminal. In either instance, the parties are seeking justice for a wrongdoing that may have resulted in physical, emotional, psychological or financial harm. The injured party may seek compensatory or punitive damages from the perpetrator And in our media-driven society, good or bad press can make or break the reputation and success of a corporation or individual.
Additional Legal Services:
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American Bar Association
Service Center
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60610
800-285-2221
Martindale-Hubbell
121 Chanlon Road
New Providence, NJ 07974
800-526-4902 ext. 8001