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Civil litigation

compromise and settlement

Most civil disputes in which a lawsuit is filed (civil litigation) are resolved by compromise and voluntary settlement agreements between the parties—whether the disputes involve divorce, child custody, and child support matters, or contracts and intellectual property (patents, copyrights, and trademarks) claims by businesses. Only a small percentage of lawsuits filed in the United States are resolved by jury trials.

In Maine, as in the rest of the United States, the majority of civil disputes that lead to litigation are typically resolved through compromise and voluntary settlement agreements between the parties involved. This trend holds true across various types of civil matters, including family law issues such as divorce, child custody, and child support, as well as business-related disputes involving contracts and intellectual property rights like patents, copyrights, and trademarks. Settlements are often preferred due to the time, expense, and uncertainty associated with going to trial. Consequently, only a small fraction of civil lawsuits ever reach the stage of a jury trial. The legal system in Maine encourages parties to settle disputes out of court when possible, and various mechanisms such as mediation and arbitration are available to assist in this process.

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Civil litigation

compromise and settlement

Individual & Family Legal Plan

Articles

Maine State Code

Maine State Code

Civil litigation

compromise and settlement

Articles