When Ohio companies are facing business litigation, the stakes are high. Breach of contract claims are common legal cases in the business world and both sides may have different interpretations of the contract language at issue. Or, there may be differing views of how each side is performing – or not performing – under the terms and conditions of the contract. If the end result is not in your company’s favor, the consequences could have a drastic impact on your company’s bottom line.
However, business litigation can seem to drag on indefinitely at times, depending on the nature of the case. So, while you certainly want to achieve a positive outcome, you are also looking for efficiency in how the case proceeds. How can your company achieve both goals?
Prevent problems first
The first and most important way to find efficiency in breach of contract litigation is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. This can be achieved by making sure the contracts that your company signs are drafted properly. There should be clear expectations for both sides, clear terms and conditions and, in many cases, business contracts include a conflict resolution clause that forces the parties to seek less costly and less time-consuming options other than courtroom litigation if a dispute or alleged breach of contract claim arises.
But, if litigation is already underway, there are options to find efficiency as well. For example, do you need to make a “business decision” about the expense of ongoing litigation versus a possible settlement amount? Are alternative dispute resolution options possible? Is a motion for summary judgment an option? Each case is unique, depending on the facts, but there are ways to get to the heart of the matter when it comes to breach of contract
