commenced litigation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "commenced litigation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in legal contexts to indicate the beginning of a legal action or lawsuit. Example: "After months of negotiation, the company finally commenced litigation against the former employee for breach of contract."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"Those Guantánamo prisoners who commenced litigation now more than a year ago have to date had no acknowledgement of state responsibility, wherever and however they were unlawfully kidnapped and detained, and whatever the level of involvement of the UK intelligence agencies".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In the city's preliminary offering for the bonds, it writes, "On or about August 15, 2003, the city intends to commence litigation" to direct the corporation to pay the money.

The New York Times

In China, for example, there was a long history of unofficial legal advisers often young men preparing to take imperial examinations for official appointment who assisted merchants and other laymen in the preparation of legal documents, including those needed to commence litigation.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Using data from actual malpractice lawsuits in different contexts and clinical areas, both studies demonstrate that over and above the importance of good communication, the inability to involve patients in decision-making and to consider their concerns and preferences can incite patients to commence litigation.

BMC Health Services Research

The group also said in an unsigned statement: "WikiLeaks has commenced pre-litigation action against The Guardian and an individual in Germany who was distributing the Guardian passwords for personal gain".

The New York Times

Judge Gardephe, in his ruling last September, said the two sides had agreed that after the litigation commenced, 849 e-mails and 79 other company documents were found on the laptop computer of Mr. Drapkin's assistant.

The New York Times

The quarter's loss included a $4.9 million expense for previously announced costs incurred in removing professional golfing from its subscription services and a $2.3 million expense for the antitrust litigation, commenced in December but with no trial date yet set.

Forbes

In an extraordinary twist, but actually the complete opposite of that, litigation was commenced in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division, which is known to favor plaintiffs and for its general expertise in patent-related lawsuits.

TechCrunch

If she did not contact the trustee by this Friday, he said, "litigation may be commenced against you".

The New York Times

In his letter to Judge Paul G. Gardephe, who is presiding in the N.B.A.'s lawsuit, Mishkin reiterates the league's accusation — that "on more than two dozen occasions," the union "has threatened to abandon collective bargaining and commence antitrust litigation to challenge the lockout".

The New York Times - Sports

"And there isn't even a vehicle to try to resolve your problem, because once they've commenced a foreclosure action, you can't talk to your lender because you're in litigation".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "commenced litigation", ensure that the context is formal or legal, as the phrase carries a degree of formality. Consider using alternatives like "filed a lawsuit" in more casual settings.

Common error

Avoid using "commenced litigation" in informal contexts. It can sound stilted or overly formal when simpler alternatives such as "started a lawsuit" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "commenced litigation" functions as a verb phrase followed by a noun phrase. It indicates the start of legal proceedings. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for formal contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "commenced litigation" is a formal way to describe the beginning of legal action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and best suited for formal and professional contexts. While alternatives like "filed a lawsuit" are available for more general use, "commenced litigation" provides a precise and formal tone appropriate for legal documents, official communications, and news reporting. Its usage is most frequent in "News & Media", "Science", and "Formal & Business" contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

initiated legal action

Uses 'initiated' instead of 'commenced' and 'legal action' instead of 'litigation', making it slightly less formal.

began legal proceedings

Substitutes 'commenced' with 'began' and 'litigation' with 'legal proceedings', resulting in a more common phrasing.

filed a lawsuit

Replaces the formal terms with simpler words indicating the commencement of legal procedures by filing a legal claim.

started a legal battle

Emphasizes the adversarial nature of litigation using 'legal battle' instead of a neutral term.

launched a court case

Utilizes the term 'launched' to indicate the beginning of legal proceedings with a particular focus on court involvement.

brought legal charges

Implies that formal accusations are presented in court to begin the case.

undertook legal recourse

Highlights the action of seeking legal remedies.

instituted a claim

Similar to 'filed a lawsuit', but with slightly more formal vocabulary.

set in motion legal process

Emphasizes the initiation of a series of events within the legal system.

triggered legal proceedings

Highlights that something caused the legal action to begin.

FAQs

What does "commenced litigation" mean?

The phrase "commenced litigation" means that a lawsuit or other legal action has been officially started. It indicates the beginning of a formal legal process.

What can I say instead of "commenced litigation"?

You can use alternatives like "initiated legal action", "began legal proceedings", or "filed a lawsuit" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "commenced litigation"?

Use "commenced litigation" in formal or legal settings where precise language is needed. It's suitable for legal documents, official communications, and discussions involving legal matters.

Is "commenced litigation" the same as "filed a lawsuit"?

While both phrases refer to starting a legal action, "commenced litigation" is more formal. "Filed a lawsuit" is more common and can be used in a broader range of contexts.