litigation
noun
lit·i·ga·tion
ˌli-tə-ˈgā-shən 
plural litigations
: the act, process, or practice of settling a dispute in a court of law : the act or process of litigating
an issue that has been in litigation for years
an attorney who specializes in the litigation of property disputes
The American Judicial System generally limits the filing of lawsuits to individuals with a personal stake in the litigation, but there are instances when litigants cannot themselves prosecute an action.—
Jonathan Mahler
Jonathan Mahler
also
: a legal action or proceeding (such as a lawsuit)
"You can't realize how much it costs to run one of these litigations. To get a battery of lawyers into a courtroom and do all the planning … and so on costs $500,000." —Gordon Gould
Gordon Gould Examples of litigation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Schick, a spokesperson for the Sawtooth National Forest, told the Idaho Statesman in an email that the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 18 Apr. 2024
In a visit to downtown Louisville last week, Paul Killebrew, deputy chief of special litigation, and other DOJ officials encouraged residents to share concerns about the current culture surrounding LMPD and Louisville Metro, in addition to providing insight into the ongoing legal process.
—Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 15 Apr. 2024
The decision overrides two lower federal courts that had upheld an injunction against the law as litigation over its constitutionality continues.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2024
Chino Valley, a hot spot Chino Valley Unified is at the center of litigation over its parent-notification policy, which resulted in a lawsuit led by Bonta.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
The city declined further comment because the litigation remains active.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
Tampa City Council members passed an ordinance giving the board access to their own lawyer last April, which advocates say is necessary to prevent a conflict of interest if there is litigation against the city.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024
Prospect agreed in February to try to sell Crozer to a nonprofit in the coming months, pausing the litigation with The Foundation for Delaware County.
—Gretchen Morgenson, NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024
Before the exemptions, San Diego’s ban was delayed three years by litigation from restaurants and container companies.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 18 Apr. 2024
In a visit to downtown Louisville last week, Paul Killebrew, deputy chief of special litigation, and other DOJ officials encouraged residents to share concerns about the current culture surrounding LMPD and Louisville Metro, in addition to providing insight into the ongoing legal process.
—Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 15 Apr. 2024
The decision overrides two lower federal courts that had upheld an injunction against the law as litigation over its constitutionality continues.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2024
Chino Valley, a hot spot Chino Valley Unified is at the center of litigation over its parent-notification policy, which resulted in a lawsuit led by Bonta.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
The city declined further comment because the litigation remains active.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
Tampa City Council members passed an ordinance giving the board access to their own lawyer last April, which advocates say is necessary to prevent a conflict of interest if there is litigation against the city.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024
Prospect agreed in February to try to sell Crozer to a nonprofit in the coming months, pausing the litigation with The Foundation for Delaware County.
—Gretchen Morgenson, NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024
Before the exemptions, San Diego’s ban was delayed three years by litigation from restaurants and container companies.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'litigation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near litigation
Cite this Entry
“Litigation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litigation. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share