Civil & Commercial Litigation

When a business dispute, debt recovery matter, or contested civil claim reaches the point where legal intervention becomes necessary, having a civil litigation attorney in Trinidad and Tobago with real courtroom experience on your side is not a luxury — it is a practical requirement. Litigation is expensive, time-consuming, and unpredictable when it is not managed strategically from the outset. At Martin George & Company, we have represented clients in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and before the Industrial Court for over thirty years. Our approach to civil and commercial disputes is built around one question: what is the most effective way to protect the client’s position given the evidence, the risk, and the remedy they are seeking?

Civil litigation in Trinidad and Tobago is governed by the Civil Proceedings Rules 1998 (CPR), which require parties to follow pre-action protocols and explore settlement before issuing a claim. Most civil claims are subject to time limits under the Limitation of Certain Actions Act, Chapter 7:09 — typically four years for contract and tort claims, longer for claims involving land or deeds. Commercial disputes between shareholders, directors, and companies are governed by the Companies Act, Chapter 81:01, with derivative actions, oppression remedies, and winding-up applications available where the statutory grounds are met. Industrial-relations matters between employers and employees fall under the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88:01 and are heard at the Industrial Court rather than the High Court. Knowing the correct forum, the applicable limitation period, and the available statutory remedies before issuing a claim is essential — and often determines whether the matter is winnable.

Not every commercial dispute should go straight to court. Some can be resolved through firm pre-action correspondence, without the delay and cost of proceedings. Others require urgent court intervention — a Mareva injunction to freeze assets, an Anton Piller order for search and seizure, or a prohibitory injunction to restrain a threatened breach. These are available under Part 17 of the CPR where the threshold is met (a good arguable case, a real risk of dissipation, and the balance of convenience). Knowing which path to take, and when to shift between them, is where experienced litigation counsel adds the most value. We assess the strength of the claim, the likely response of the other side, the urgency involved, and the practical outcome the client is trying to achieve before recommending a course of action. Where summary judgment under Part 15 is available, we pursue it. Where a negotiated settlement is genuinely in the client’s interest, we advise that clearly and without equivocation.

The firm’s civil and commercial litigation practice covers the full range of disputes that arise between individuals, businesses, and institutions in Trinidad and Tobago. This includes debt recovery (governed by the same limitation regime), complex multi-party commercial disputes, industrial-relations matters before the Industrial Court, banking and financial disagreements, insurance disputes, and corporate conflicts between shareholders or directors under the Companies Act. Where constitutional or administrative law issues intersect with a commercial matter — for example, judicial review of a regulatory decision affecting a business — those can be addressed within the same broader representation rather than treated as entirely separate proceedings.

Services in this practice area

• Civil Claims
• Commercial Disputes
• Breach of Contract
• Debt Claims
• Negligence
• High Court Litigation
• Court of Appeal Matters
• Industrial Court / Industrial Relations
• Banking and Financial Disputes
• Insurance Disputes
• Corporate Disputes
• Injunctions
• Damages Claims
• Summary Judgment Applications
• Contempt of Court Applications

Before a litigation consultation, it helps to gather the core documents: the contract or agreement in dispute, a clear timeline of what happened and when, any correspondence between the parties, and an honest account of what you want to achieve and what you are willing to accept as an outcome. You do not need to have a formed legal theory — that is our job. You need to give us enough factual material to assess liability, quantify the claim or defence, and identify the most effective next step. For urgent applications involving injunctions or contempt of court, contact us as soon as the threat materialises — delay in those matters can limit the relief available.

Our litigation team is direct about risk, realistic about timelines, and focused on outcomes rather than process for its own sake. Clients across Port of Spain, South Trinidad, and Tobago who are dealing with contested commercial or civil matters can expect clear advice on the merits, transparent guidance on costs, and active management of their case from the first consultation through to resolution. We do not let matters drift, and we do not let the other side set the pace.

Further reading at law.martingeorge.net

For deeper background on civil and commercial law in T&T, see the firm’s legal education site:

• Contract Law in Trinidad and Tobago: Formation, Breach, and Remedies
• Misrepresentation in Contract Law in Trinidad and Tobago
• Alternative Dispute Resolution in Trinidad and Tobago: Mediation, Arbitration, and How to Resolve Disputes Without Going to Court
• Enforcing Court Judgments in Trinidad and Tobago: Writs, Garnishee Orders, and Committal
• The Tort of Negligence in Trinidad and Tobago: Elements, Proof, and Defences
• Private Nuisance in Trinidad and Tobago: Neighbour Disputes and the Law