LITIGATION:

When it is necessary to go to court, we are effective!

The decision to go to court and litigate a case is never easy. Many cases are settled without the need to see the inside of a courtroom. The Gospel of Matthew gives good practical advise when it comes to going to court: negotiate with your brother and settle your differences. We estimate that we settle about 95% of all of the cases which result in lawsuits, hence only 5% of our cases actually go to a courtroom trial. But settlement is not always possible. When you need to litigate, you should know that we have litigated in the courtrooms of central New York, state and federal, for over 20 years.

If you are charged with a crime you might find yourself in court ranging from minor traffic tickets to serious felonies. Civil suits over personal injury, either suing for injury done to you or lawsuits against you, are commonplace in our society. When religious freedoms are abridged by the actions of the government or an employer, lawsuits result. Business and commercial interests sometimes involve litigation. Family court proceedings are commonplace as marriages have come apart, and issues of custody, visitation, maintenance and child support are often litigated. Real estate disputes can wind up in court. Estates and guardianships require proceedings in surrogates court in New York, although often these proceedings are not contested. When they are contested, it is important to have an attorney who is familiar with trial procedures and has the experience of having tried many cases.

In each of these areas settlement is almost always the best way to go. But many years of trying and settling cases have taught us that only when we are ready and prepared to try a case, do we get the best settlement.

If you have a lawsuit brewing, give us a call to discuss it. If a trial can be avoided, we will avoid it. But if a trial is needed, we are experienced and ready to the task.