In the United States, lawsuits are a common way to resolve disputes. This is because they are cheaper than trials and they often result in settlements rather than verdicts. However, this doesn’t mean that conflicts don’t result in legal settlements. In fact, litigation is frequently the pathway to resolving many disputes. There are a few reasons for this. First, litigation is expensive. It can cost thousands of dollars to file a lawsuit and it can also cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to win one. Second, litigation is time-consuming. It can take months or even years to get to trial. Third, litigation often results in more peaceful resolutions than trials do. Trial outcomes are often acrimonious and can be very divisive. Fourth, litigation often results in financial settlements instead of verdicts or judgments. This means that plaintiffs and defendants usually end up paying each other instead of going to court to fight over money.
