What is meant by government litigation?
Different from other types of litigation, government litigation refers to disputes involving the government, in which legal considerations like sovereign immunity that are uncommon in private litigation can play a crucial role. Private litigants risk going through civil investigations, grand-jury subpoenas, and other legal procedures, agencies can frequently demand pre-lawsuit discovery. Similar to private litigants, government entities are subject to more scrutiny of their actions. This scrutiny may take the form of media attention, executive and parliamentary supervision, and records requests. Even the outcome can vary: Government cases are more likely to result in a judgment or an appeal than are private lawsuits.
A lawyer must use strategic thinking and behavior to effectively handle government cases. While some government lawsuits will end up on appeal, others can be rejected outright or resolved on reasonable terms.
