40
Litigation : When All Else Fails . . .
When your rights are violated , litigation will generally be one of several options for addressing that violation . Nine out of ten times , it is better to pursue options other than litigation to resolve the situation because the costs ( economic and other ) of filing a lawsuit often outweigh the benefits . But keeping the threat of litigation on the table can often be a useful tool or incentive . And in some cases , litigation is the only solution . You should not be afraid of pursuing litigation to protect your rights , and you should rarely ( if ever ) take it completely off the table . But you should also be aware of , and consider , some of the negatives of pursuing that course of action .
PROS OF PURSUING LITIGATION
Some potential benefits of bringing a lawsuit are :
it may help foster change on your campus or protect your rights as a student ;
it will set a precedent that will govern the rights of students on other college campuses ;
it may increase publicity for your cause .
Before filing a lawsuit , however , keep in mind that many of these benefits can be achieved using methods other than litigation .
COSTS OF PURSUING LITIGATION
Econominc Costs Litigation can be quite expensive , both monetarily and timewise . If you decide to pursue litigation , you will need to hire a lawyer , pay the court fees for filing the action , pay for travel , and much more . There is also a