litigation

lih-tuh-GAY-shun

meaning in plain English

Litigation is when people use the courts to solve a disagreement, usually by suing someone or being sued.

for example

The landlord was criticized for the way he handled the litigation over the rent.

Litigation is what happens when two sides can’t agree and take their fight to a judge instead of working it out themselves. Why do people end up in litigation over a broken promise or a messy breakup? Because sometimes talking it out just doesn’t work.