Litigis

Litigis is a term used to describe the process and body of civil disputes that are contested and resolved within courts or other adjudicatory bodies. While not a standard term in most modern legal vocabularies, litigis is sometimes employed to emphasize the procedural and factual contest central to legal disputes, from initial claims to final enforcement.

Litigis covers civil, administrative, and commercial disputes, and excludes most criminal prosecutions, though some hybrid or regulatory matters may be addressed within litigis in a broad sense. It encompasses the stages of dispute resolution, including pre-litigation negotiation, filing of pleadings, discovery or evidence gathering, trial or hearing, verdict or judgment, and post-trial remedies such as appeals and enforcement of judgments.

Procedures vary by jurisdiction. In common law systems, litigis relies on an adversarial process with judges, possible juries, and extensive discovery. In civil law systems, it tends to be more inquisitorial, with greater court control over evidence and documents. Many jurisdictions encourage or require alternative dispute resolution within litigis, such as mediation or arbitration, to reduce time and costs.

Costs and funding are central concerns, with arrangements such as fee shifting, contingency representation, and third-party litigation funding influencing access to justice. Reforms in many places focus on docket management, digital filing, transparency, and cost control to improve efficiency and fairness.

Litigis has implications for individuals and organizations, shaping risk management, strategic planning, and ongoing compliance.