What does "litigation" refer to?

Litigation refers specifically to the process of engaging in legal action or dispute resolution through the court system. It encompasses the entire journey of a legal case from the initiation of a lawsuit to the conclusion, which may involve various stages such as filing pleadings, conducting discovery, and ultimately presenting a case during trials.

This definition is broad and includes the activities of both parties in a legal dispute, as well as their legal representatives, as they navigate through the rules and procedures of the judicial system. While drafting legal documents, hearing evidence, and mediation are all parts of legal processes, they represent only components of what litigation entails. Thus, defining litigation solely as the broader process of resolving disputes legally through the courts captures its essence while distinguishing it from these other specific activities.