Civil law
Civil disputes rarely begin in court. They usually arise from an unpaid debt, a broken contract, damage, or a disagreement over inherited property. We assess your position, prepare court filings, and represent you in court.
Court claims, mediation, and contracts
We prepare claims, defenses, counterclaims, replies, and rejoinders for first-instance proceedings, as well as appeals and cassation appeals. We represent plaintiffs, defendants, and third parties in contested court proceedings.
For clients seeking an agreed resolution, we provide legal advice, prepare demand letters, payment notices, and warnings, and represent them in mediation.
We draft and review contracts to help clients prevent future disputes and allocate their rights and obligations fairly and proportionately.
When to seek help with a civil dispute
Your debtor has stopped responding
Where a debt is acknowledged in writing or supported by invoices, an application for a court payment order can be processed faster than an ordinary claim. The debtor has 20 days after service to object. If they do, the payment order ceases to have effect and the creditor must pursue the same demand through an ordinary claim within a short deadline.
You have been served with a lawsuit
The court sets a deadline of 14 to 30 days to file a defense and may extend it in more complex cases. If you fail to respond without a valid reason, the court may enter a default judgment at the plaintiff’s request.
You disagree over an inheritance
An inheritance must be accepted within three months after the deceased’s death, either by applying to a notary or by actually taking possession and managing the estate. A court may extend a missed deadline for valid reasons. Without a court, late acceptance is possible only with the consent of all heirs who have accepted the inheritance.
You have suffered injury or property damage
A claim for damages is subject to a three-year limitation period. Promptly document who caused the harm, what they did, and the expenses you incurred.
The other party is not honoring a contract
A material breach may justify unilateral termination. In other cases, particularly late performance, an additional deadline to fulfill the obligations must be set in writing before termination. The other party must receive advance notice. A rushed termination may later be found unlawful.
False information has been published about you
A claim to protect your honor and dignity can seek a retraction of false statements of fact. Published factual allegations are presumed false unless the person who published them proves otherwise. Retraction applies to statements of fact, not opinions.
What to know before starting a dispute
The general limitation period is ten years, but shorter periods apply to many claims: three years for damages and six months for contractual penalties. A court does not apply a limitation period on its own initiative; a party must invoke it. Missing the deadline is not necessarily the end of the matter, as the court may allow a late claim for valid reasons.
The losing party is generally ordered to pay the successful party’s litigation costs. Recoverable attorney fees are subject to the limits in recommendations approved by the Minister of Justice and the Chair of the Lithuanian Bar Council, so the award may not cover everything paid. If a claim succeeds only in part, costs are allocated proportionately. When a case ends in a settlement, part of the court filing fee is refunded.
An inheritance includes the deceased’s debts. If you accept it in the ordinary way, you may be liable with your own assets as well as the inherited property. If you know little about the deceased’s obligations, consider accepting the inheritance on the basis of an inventory prepared by a bailiff. Liability is then limited to the inherited assets. Failing to disclose all assets in the inventory removes that protection.
Related cases
Court confirms acceptance of an inheritance through possession and management of the property
The court established the legally significant facts confirming that the clients had accepted their inheritances through possession and management of the inherited property.
Defamation claim dismissed; defendants awarded all attorney fees
The court dismissed the claim concerning honor and dignity, including the demand for LTL 75,000 for nonfinancial harm, and awarded our clients all attorney fees.
LTL 65,499.62 awarded for lost cargo
Kaunas City District Court granted the client’s claim in full, awarding LTL 65,499.62 in damages plus litigation costs against the defendant.