You may have heard of the terms “civil litigation” and “commercial litigation,” but you may be confused about how they are different. After all, they sound the same. While they follow the same litigation stages, they do have some key differences. Let’s look at how these types of litigation differ and why it is essential to work with an attorney specializing in commercial or civil litigation, depending on your case.
How Civil Litigation Is Defined Versus Commercial Litigation
Civil litigation is a lawsuit between two parties. Usually, the parties are individuals, but they can also be groups of people or organizations. During the lawsuit, the plaintiff is seeking compensation in the form of monetary damages from the defendant. It’s important to note that a civil case does not involve criminal charges.
A civil litigation lawyer in Philadelphia may be needed to handle personal injury cases, divorce lawsuits, labor disputes, or medical malpractice cases (to name a few). These cases rarely go to court. If it does go to court, it may take only a few months or several years to settle.
In contrast, commercial litigation cases involve business disputes between two or more business parties. Commercial litigation could then be thought of as a subcategory of civil litigation. A business may seek the assistance of a commercial litigation attorney to deal with breaches of contract, employee fraud, insurance coverage issues, and many other corporate complications.
Similarities Between Commercial and Civil Litigation
Civil and commercial litigation cases progress in a similar manner. They typically follow these litigation stages:
- Hire an attorney
- Conduct investigations
- Research laws related to the case
- Send demand letters
- Participate in settlement negotiations
- File a lawsuit
- Conduct discovery
- Present evidence to judge or jury
- File an appeal
Differences Between Commercial and Civil Litigation
While they progress in much the same way, commercial litigation is much more complex than civil lawsuits. This is partly due to the fact that commercial disputes involve businesses rather than individuals. Additionally, the matters being discussed are very specialized, oftentimes taking several years to settle. Commercial litigations are also filed in federal court rather than state court and may be a class action or multi-district litigation. For these reasons and the costs of discovery and forensic experts, they are more expensive than civil disputes.
Hiring a Litigation Lawyer
Whether you are an individual, consumer, employee, or business owner, you may run into complex issues that need to be dealt with by a civil or commercial litigation lawyer. Any legal matter can create a lot of stress and time-consuming questions. An attorney can plan out a strategy to protect your reputation and get you the compensation you deserve.
If you have a commercial dispute or civil case on your hands, our highly skilled and experienced team can help you or your business. To speak to a litigation, personal injury, or business formation attorney serving Delaware and the surrounding areas, contact Garibian Law Offices today!