litigation
noun [ U ] law specialized uk/ˌlɪt.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/ us/ˌlɪt̬.əˈɡeɪ.ʃən/
诉讼，起诉
the process of taking a case to a court of law so that a judgment can be made
The company has consistently denied responsibility, but it agreed to the settlement to avoid the expense of lengthy litigation. 公司一直在推卸责任，但同意这一调解方案以避免漫长的诉讼所带来的花费。