Litigation Lawyers in Sonoma County

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

Commercial litigation in Sonoma County, California, can get very expensive, very quickly. Furthermore, it can also be incredibly perplexing. 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 Sonoma County, California.

Common Sources of Commercial Litigation in Sonoma 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 Sonoma County, California still have to operate from a physical location. The space from which most businesses operate is usually 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 example, the tenant fails to pay rent on time, or the landlord fails to perform required building maintenance, a dispute might arise, leading to commercial litigation.

Sales of Real Estate: Buying office space, a home, or an empty plot of land in Sonoma County, California is not a simple process, and something can go wrong at any step along the way. For example, there might be a title defect, or some type of physical flaw on the property, and the seller fails to disclose it to the buyer, this will almost definitely lead to the buyer demanding payment, in the form of a full or partial refund, from the seller. If no agreement can be reached, commercial litigation is the possible result.

Sale of Goods: The sale of personal property can also lead to commercial litigation in Sonoma County, California. This most usually comes up when a business is buying large volumes of products from a supplier, and the supplier fails to deliver them on time, or delivers the wrong goods, or the wrong quantity of goods. Typically, if the parties cannot resolve the problem between themselves, commercial litigation will result.

Business Loans: When someone starts a small business in Sonoma County, California, 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 Sonoma County, California 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 Sonoma County, California Commercial Litigation Lawyer Help?

Business owners in Sonoma County, California 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 Sonoma 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 success if commercial litigation is unavoidable.