Litigation Lawyers in Decatur

In Decatur, Alabama, commercial litigation is any civil litigation that involves a business transaction. Commercial litigation can come up in practically any business context.

In Decatur, Alabama commercial litigation can be very perplexing and costly. While it typically involves two business in a legal dispute with one another, it might also arise between average individuals who were engaged in an informal business transaction (such as someone selling a car to her neighbor), and never would have guessed that they might be thrown into a commercial litigation case in Decatur, Alabama.

Common Sources of Commercial Litigation in Decatur, Alabama

Commercial Leases: Most businesses in Decatur, Alabama operate from a single physical location, despite the rise of the Internet and e-commerce. These locations are often in rented space, which is usually more cost-effective than purchasing real estate just for the purpose of operating a business. These rental agreements are laid out in documents called "commercial leases." Like every other contract, these leases are occasionally broken. If the parties cannot resolve the ensuing dispute amongst themselves, they might have to resort to commercial litigation.

Sales of Real Estate: Whether you're buying a house, an office building, or a vacant lot in Decatur, Alabama, there are plenty of things that can go awry in the process. For instance, the seller might fail to disclose an easement on the property, or a physical defect, which you only discover after the sale is final. Or, if you're the seller, the buyer might fail to pay on time. Such mishaps are almost sure to cause a dispute, and if the parties cannot resolve it amongst themselves, commercial litigation might be the only choice.

Sale of Goods: The sale or purchase of personal property is another common source of commercial litigation in Decatur, Alabama. For instance, 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 dispute 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 Decatur, Alabama, they usually don't have the money to fund its start-up and first few years of operation. So, the initial 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 dispute.

Breach of Contract: When a Decatur, Alabama business agrees to provide something of value (a product or service) in exchange for something else of value (usually money), a contract is formed. A contract, put simply, is any agreement that the law will enforce. Contracts can be very simple, or incredibly complex. In either case, if one party fails to perform under the terms of the contract, commercial litigation is one way to resolve the ensuing disagreement.

How Can a Decatur, Alabama Commercial Litigation Lawyer Help?

Business owners in Decatur, Alabama are probably aware of the fact that commercial litigation can always be just around the corner, and just about any business deal that goes bad can trigger it. It's prudent, therefore, to take some simple steps to prepare for possibly civil litigation, so it will only be minimally disruptive to your business, should it occur in the future.

On that front, the single best thing you can do is, by far, to seek the advice of an experienced Decatur, Alabama 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 success if commercial litigation is unavoidable.