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How Long Does a Civil Lawsuit Take?

How long your lawsuit takes will depend on a variety of things, including opportunities for settlement during the process.

Generally, if a suit goes all the way through trial, you should expect it to take about two years.  Right now, courts are still dealing with a backlog from COVID, so this time period is longer for pending cases.  It remains to be seen how quickly courts will be able to get back to a more normal schedule.

Within that time, the first two or three months are when the complaint is filed and answered, either with an answer or a motion to dismiss.  After that is a period of discovery, lasting usually 9-12 months.  How long it takes to get to trial after discovery ends depends on whether the defendant files a motion for summary judgment, and when the court has availability for your trial.

You should know, also, that over 97% of civil cases end in settlement sometime before trial.  You should talk to your attorney about your settlement expectations, and finding opportunities in the schedule to try to resolve the matter with the other side.


Learn more here about what to expect as a plaintiff in a civil suit in Massachusetts.

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  • Home
  • Employment Law
    • Guide To Employment Law Content
    • Employment Contracts in Massachusetts
    • Discrimination in the Workplace
    • Employment Termination >
      • Massachusetts Paid Family Leave
      • Severance Pay
      • Unemployment in Massachusetts
    • Sexual Harassment at Work >
      • Sexual Harassment in a Small Business
      • Sexual Harassment and Non Disclosure Agreements
      • Sexual Harassment and Remote Work
    • Wage and Hour Laws
    • Independent Contractor Law
    • Non Compete Agreements >
      • Are non competes enforceable
      • Massachusetts Non Compete Act
      • Pre 2018 Massachusetts Non Competes
  • Estate Planning
    • Guide To Estate Planning Content
    • Legacy Protection
    • Why You Need an Estate Plan
    • Why You Don't Have an Estate Plan
    • Estate Planning Documents >
      • Children with Special Needs
    • Planning for Assisted Living
    • Probate Process
  • Business Law
    • Guide To Business Law Content
    • Small Business Law
    • Business Contract Basics
    • Civil Suit Defense
    • Legal Issues for Start Ups
    • Trademark Basics
    • How to Incorporate
    • Sale of Business
  • About
    • Reviews
    • Slnlaw Offices
    • slnlaw core values
    • Publications and Interviews
    • New Client Intake and Consultation
    • Contact
  • Attorneys
    • Emily Smith-Lee >
      • 2018 Lawyer of the Year
    • Jenna Ordway
    • Rebecca Rogers
    • Andrew Silvia
    • Elijah Bresley
  • Legal FAQs
    • Estate Planning FAQs
    • Probate FAQs
    • Small Business FAQs
    • Wage Act FAQs
    • Commission Pay FAQs
    • Overtime FAQs
    • Independent Contractor FAQs
    • Non Compete FAQs
    • Employment Discrimination FAQs
    • Employment Termination FAQs
    • Massachusettts Unemployment FAQs
    • Severance Package FAQs
    • Medical Leave FAQs
    • Sexual Harassment FAQs
    • Employer FAQs
    • Civil Lawsuit FAQs
  • Blog