Civil litigation cases are those cases which do not involve criminal charges, but which are heard before a judge. Such cases are usually lawsuits, and usually represent a small percentage of the lawsuits that are filed in a year, since only about 3 percent of all lawsuits filed make it to trial. The first courses of action in civil cases include an attempt to settle, possibly followed by arbitration or mediation. If these alternatives fail, litigation is necessary, provided the case meets the requirements. This means that the judge must agree that the case has merit. Otherwise, it is thrown out of court; a situation that happens with about 80% of all lawsuits filed. If your lawsuit does indeed go to trial, your attorney will need litigation experience to be effective in presenting your case to the judge. Since few cases actually make it to trial, it's wise to inquire about your attorney's experience in the area of litigation before hiring.