Civil Disputes and Trial Matters
Civil litigation is the term applied to lawsuits requesting certain types of relief, generally monetary damages, punitive damages or injunctive relief. Punitive damages are meant to financially punish a party for egregious actions that cause damages to another. Injunctive relief requires one party to cease and desist certain actions or practices.
At Coward, Hicks & Siler, PA, our trial attorneys handle civil lawsuits involving business disputes, personal injury (like automobile accidents or injuries caused by product defects), breach of contract issues, property disputes, construction disputes, and property condemnation issues. These lawsuits can take place in different courts, depending on the value of damages sought or, in the case of eminent domain and property condemnation issues, based on the value of the property under public use condemnation.
At the state level, small claims court handles cases involving up to $10,000 in damages. District Court handles matters valuing to $25,000. All cases claiming damages over $25,000 are filed in Superior Court. When parties have large damage claims and live in different states, or when a case involves federal laws, cases are filed in federal court. Each court has its own rules and procedures and the process cannot be described as expeditious. Our trial lawyers have experience practicing in all of these courts, and can help you navigate the system efficiently and effectively.
Having a skilled and experienced trial attorney in your corner if you have suffered damage or are being sued, can be the most efficient manner of quickly settling claims. Trial attorneys are negotiators. We are skilled in mediation and negotiated settlements and can help obtain the best possible outcomes efficiently. We commonly handle:
- construction litigation
- lien enforcement actions
- breach of contract litigation
- breach of fiduciary duty matters
- commercial, creditor and retail debt collection actions
- eminent domain and land condemnation matters
- personal injury and accident litigation
More information about our civil litigation practice can be found on the pages related to our transactional areas of practice. For more information on our municipal law, real estate, construction law, business and corporate law and Indian law practice, please visit those pages. If you’ve been injured physically or financially by the accidental or willful negligence of another, if you have property disputes or if you are being sued, call our office to set up a consultation with one of our trial lawyers. We can help.
