What is the difference between civil and commercial litigation?

Litigation is simply the legal term given to the process of one party bringing about a claim against another if they feel that there has been an injustice – such as a contract dispute, a boundary dispute or even a personal injury claim.

Litigation is broadly divided into two main subgroups – civil litigation, and commercial litigation. Let’s take a look at the difference between the two.

Civil Litigation

Civil litigation specifically relates to situations where one party brings about a claim against another over a non criminal issue. This may include things like personal injury, property problems, or disagreements between individuals or organisations.

Anyone wishing to pursue a civil litigation claim is best placed to contact a specialist legal firm who can advise on appropriate litigation funding, such as novo-modo.co.uk/litigation-funding.

Commercial Litigation

Commercial litigation, on the other hand, is a slightly more specific type of litigation which covers legal disputes in the business world. This may include things like contract disagreements, shareholder conflicts, or other business-related problems.

Commercial cases involve businesses or companies, and as you might expect, they often have higher financial stakes, as well as more complex legal issues. They can often require more in the way of evidence because of the commercial context.

Similarities

Both civil and commercial litigation follow a similar process, starting with a lawsuit filing, followed by pre-trial procedures like discovery and motions. The overall aim of both types of litigation is usually monetary compensation or a mutually agreed settlement.