Litigation Lawyers in Santa Barbara County

In Santa Barbara County, California, commercial litigation is any civil litigation that includes a business transaction. Commercial litigation can come up in essentially any business context.

Commercial litigation in Santa Barbara County, California, can get quite expensive, very quickly. Furthermore, it can also be incredibly confusing. It often involves two sophisticated business entities, but it can also arise between two ordinary individuals who never would have imagined that they'd get caught up in commercial litigation in Santa Barbara County, California.

Common Sources of Commercial Litigation in Santa Barbara County, California

Commercial Leases: Even though more businesses than ever are relying on the internet to sell their goods, the majority of small businesses in Santa Barbara County, California still have to operate from a physical location. The space from which most businesses operate is typically rented, and the terms of the rental agreement are documented in a contract called a commercial lease. These contracts, like any other, are sometimes breached. When, for instance, the tenant fails to pay rent on time, or the landlord fails to perform required building maintenance, a conflict might arise, leading to commercial litigation.

Sales of Real Estate: When buying real estate in Santa Barbara County, California, a lot of things can go wrong, possibly making commercial litigation essential. In these cases, things like title defects (when the seller doesn't directly own the land or house that they're selling), physical defects in the property that weren't disclosed to the buyer, or a buyer's failure to tender payment on time, among other things, can all lead to commercial litigation.

Sale of Goods: The sale or purchase of personal property is another prevalent source of commercial litigation in Santa Barbara County, California. For example, a restaurant owner might order tomatoes from a supplier, and fail to pay for them. The owner might argue that the tomatoes were rotten and unusable when they arrived, and he therefore does not have to pay. Obviously, if the two parties can't resolve this conflict somehow, they will have 2 options: simply let it go, and likely never do business with one another again, or go to court, and resolve it through civil litigation.

Business Loans: When someone starts a small business in Santa Barbara County, California, they typically don't have the money to fund its start-up and first few years of operation. So, the first step is often getting a loan from a bank. However, if the business fails, and the borrower can't make payments, or the lender engages in some type of unlawful conduct, the aggrieved party is going to seek redress. In some cases, the parties will have to resort to civil litigation to resolve their conflict.

Breach of Contract: When an individual or business in Santa Barbara County, California, agrees to exchange something of value for something else of value (such as a product in exchange for money), they have entered into a binding agreement called a "contract." This means that each party can use the law to compel the other party to perform their obligations under the terms of the contract. If someone fails to perform under the agreement, commercial litigation is one option to resolve the resulting dispute.

How Can a Santa Barbara County, California Commercial Litigation Lawyer Help?

If you have a business in Santa Barbara County, California, it should by now be apparent that there are various different situations from which commercial litigation can arise, and it rarely happens when it's expected. So, it's always smart to have a plan in place (and money or insurance set aside, if possible) to resolve a commercial litigation issue, should it arise.

On that front, the single best thing you can do is, by far, to seek the advice of an efficient Santa Barbara County, California commercial litigation attorney. Your lawyer can advise you on practical steps you can take to minimize the chances of business litigation occurring in the first place, and give you the best possible chance of winning if commercial litigation is unavoidable.