How Long Does A Commercial Lawsuit Take?

31.07.2023
How Long Does A Commercial Lawsuit Take?

If you have a commercial dispute, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what happens during a commercial lawsuit.

Along with that, it’s also recommended that you contact an experienced commercial law firm, like TY Lawyers in Chatswood, so you can put yourself in the best position to have a positive outcome.

In today’s article, we’re going to discuss:

  • Understanding commercial litigation
  • Factors that affect the lawsuit timeframe
  • Stages in commercial litigation

Let’s dive in.

Understanding Commercial Litigation

Commercial litigation, simply put, is the process of resolving business/commercial disputes through the court system.

This could be the course of action taken after exhausting other alternative dispute resolutions such as mediation and negotiation.

Generally going to court to get an outcome is viewed as a last recourse or the only other option when all other alternatives or attempts to resolve, have failed. This is because it can be time consuming, exhausting and very expensive.

One of the pros of commercial litigation is that there will eventually be a final outcome determined, so the matter can be ‘put to bed’ by all parties, so to speak.

It’s advisable to employ the services of a commercial law firm in Chatswood that has extensive experience in commercial disputes and cases.

Factors That Affect The Lawsuit Timeframe

Although it is quite hard to put an approximate timeframe on how long a commercial lawsuit will take to get to a final outcome, generally it can take around six months to a year and sometimes much longer.

Yes, it is a vague answer that’s often given, but because the nature of every lawsuit is unique, with its own set of challenges, it’s very hard to give a definitive answer for this. Timing can often be uncontrollable in this respect.

Some of the key factors impacting the timeframe of a commercial lawsuit include:

  • The complexity of the case
  • How forthcoming and cooperative each party is to try and negotiate and come to a resolution
  • Whether or not the case can be resolved through mediation
  • How much evidence is required – if it’s a lot and is considered a large scale matter with a range of issues, the case could easily take over two years
  • Whether each party is well informed and is making decisions out of a rationale frame of mind

Your commercial lawyers in Chatswood will assist you in preparing and managing the case, along with asking you plenty of questions to get a good idea of the current state of play.

Stages In Commercial Litigation

When considering commercial litigation, remember that it is usually a last case resort for a commercial dispute.

A commercial law firm like TY Lawyers Chatswood will be able to advise you on your projected options in terms of next steps if you’re a part of a lawsuit, prior to going to trial.

If you do go down the path of commercial litigation, here’s a basic outline of the steps included:

  • The decision to litigate
  • Commence proceedings
  • Pleadings and defence
  • Cross claims
  • Each party files evidence
  • Discovery/seeking documents
  • Alternative dispute resolution options such as mediation or conciliation
  • Preparing for the hearing, if not settled
  • Trial
  • Judgment
  • Steps following judgment
  • Appeals

TY Lawyers Chatswood – Commercial Law Firm Chatswood

Your commercial litigation lawyer in Chatswood can assist you in preparing and managing your case, however there are ways you can prepare in order to manage the litigation process more smoothly.

It is recommended you engage a lawyer in Chatswood early on. 

If you have an enquiry on a commercial litigation matter, get in touch today!

Call TY Lawyers Chatswood on: (02) 8007 0135.

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