Disputes can arise between two individuals, such as a disagreement between you and the contractor who remodeled your home with inferior material, or two drivers who are involved in an auto accident, or a disagreement over the sale of a house. If the dispute is not settled by agreement between the parties then the dispute would be taken to court and the proper papers would be filed initiating a lawsuit. Generally, attorneys would prepare the facts and laws supporting their client's demands, send papers to the other side, conduct depositions and present the facts at a trial. The dispute would then be decided by a judge or jury.
In the construction case the litigation would determine if the remodeling was done properly, how much it would cost to do the job right, what damages you suffered because of the improper construction, and who owes what to whom. In the auto accident case, the court would decide who was liable or responsible for the accident, was the person who brought forth the lawsuit injured, and what monetary value is assigned to the injuries.
Litigation also may be used to resolve a dispute between an individual and a business, perhaps over a defective product, or a lease of property, or between two businesses that may be having a dispute over patent rights or the terms of a contract between them.
Laws exist that put an absolute time limit on filing a complaint and initiating a lawsuit. This time limit is referred to as the "Statute of Limitations". Different statutes of limitations exist for different areas of law. For instance, a case involving bodily injury from an automobile accident must be brought to suit no later than three years from the date of accident. While the statute of limitations are three years in a personal injury action, other sensitive deadlines expire much sooner. Therefore, it is important that you consult an attorney immediately in the event you believe that you may have a claim. It is very possible that you have less time than you think to file a complaint and initiate a law suit.