Litigation is the process of taking a dispute to a court of law. If parties cannot agree between themselves about the fair and proper outcome of a dispute they will present their respective cases to a court for its judgment. It is a broad term that describes a long and sometimes complex process. In this article, we will break down the stages in the litigation process.

You may be aware that there are a number of different courts and tribunals in the South African judiciary system. The decision as to which court or tribunal to approach will depend on the particular facts of your dispute and whether there is a specialist court or tribunal set up for your specific type of case. Your solicitor will advise you on which of these would be best to approach and the considerations informing this decision.