Litigation is the process of taking a dispute to a court of law. If parties cannot agree between themselves about the fair and proper outcome of a dispute, they will present their respective cases to a court for its judgment. It is a broad term that describes a long and sometimes complex process.
How Do You know If You Have to Go to Court?
Whether you are a victim or witness a crime and report the information to the police, you will be asked to state what happened. This will be used as evidence in court. Cases can be time-consuming to prepare and if the case does go to court and you are required to give evidence, you will be contacted.
Once the court has fixed the trial date you will be advised in writing of:
- the trial date
- which court you need to attend
- directions to the court
- your role in the courtroom
- what facilities are available at the court
Gathering Information for Court
You should gather all the relevant information about your claim. This includes contracts, invoices, and any other documents you may have relating to the incident in question. It is important to keep all this information in its original form and to preserve the records as fully as possible.
Giving Evidence in Court
You should also be prepared to be actively involved in the litigation in court. This means being prepared to answer questions by a solicitor, reviewing pleadings and other documents your solicitor provides you and being prepared to attend and testify at potential depositions and an eventual trial.
You may be waiting to give evidence for most of the day. You should not talk to anyone, especially other witnesses, about the evidence you will be giving before you go into the witness box.
If you have made a written statement and would like to see a copy before you give evidence, ask the person who asked you to come to court, to give you a copy.
Elevate Your Worries About Court
If you are worried about meeting the defendant or their friends, tell the security personnel when you arrive as there may be a separate room in which you can wait.
If you have any other fears about going to court, you can get free and confidential help from the Witness Service. They can give you emotional support and help you understand the court process.
You can find out more about the Witness Service and how to get help.
How Can We Help You?
McPartland & Sons Solicitors have a dedicated team with extensive experience in handling all types of litigious cases. We can offer advice and assistance to both private and corporate clients in a full range of litigious matters, contact us for more details.
Related Blogs: