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 Montana, as in the rest of the United States, the majority of civil disputes that lead to litigation are typically resolved through settlements and compromise between the parties involved, rather than going to trial. This trend holds true across various types of civil cases, including family law matters 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 because they can provide a more efficient, cost-effective, and private resolution to legal conflicts. The court system in Montana encourages settlement through various means, including mediation and settlement conferences. Consequently, only a small fraction of civil lawsuits actually proceed to a jury trial, which can be a longer, more public, and more expensive process.