Vexatious Litigation Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Vexatious Litigation, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Vexatious Litigation?

(v) Vexatious law suits are the unsustainable law suits filed, appealed and continued with an intention to trouble, annoy or otherwise put the defendant in to difficulty with or with out an intention to delay the process there by taking advantage of continued state of affaires and possible withdrawal of the claim by the defendant

History and Meaning of Vexatious Litigation

Vexatious litigation is a legal term that describes a lawsuit or legal action filed solely for the purpose of harassing, frustrating, or annoying the opposing party. The term has been around for centuries and has been implemented in different countries around the world as a means of deterring individuals from engaging in frivolous and malicious lawsuits. The intention behind vexatious litigation is not to seek justice, but rather to cause disruption, annoyance or embarrassment to the opposing party.

Many courts and jurisdictions have developed a legal framework for dealing with vexatious litigants, who often act as their own lawyers or are frequently involved in lawsuits that lack merit. These frameworks enable judges and court officials to prevent or limit individuals who continue to file frivolous or unfounded claims from accessing the justice system.

Examples of Vexatious Litigation

  1. A person who files multiple lawsuits, often with the same legal arguments, against an individual or organization, seeking to exhaust their resources and drain them financially.
  2. A person who files a lawsuit despite knowing that it has no legal merit, but does so to pressure or harass the opposing party to settle out of court.
  3. A person who repeatedly files claims or appeals after they have been dismissed, in order to tie up the court and waste resources.

Legal Terms Similar to Vexatious Litigation

  1. Frivolous litigation - legal claims lacking in legal force and merit.
  2. Malicious prosecution - the abuse of legal process to intimidate or harass.
  3. Barratry - the offense of persistently instigating court actions, especially groundless ones.