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Litigation in Mexico

When the deal goes wrong, you need someone who knows the courtroom — and who will tell you honestly whether the courtroom is where you should be.

The honest assessment comes first — always

Litigation in Mexico is slow, technical and unforgiving of improvisation. So before anything is filed, we do the work most firms skip: a written case assessment — the realistic probability, the realistic timeline, the realistic cost, and the alternatives. Sometimes the assessment says "fight, and here's how." Sometimes it says "negotiate — a settlement today beats a judgment in four years." And sometimes it says "walk away." You get the truth either way; that's the product.

A lawsuit you shouldn't have filed costs more than the deal that went wrong. We tell you which one you have — before you spend a peso on court.

What we litigate

Agrarian disputes — our home court

Ejido boundaries, contested cesiones de derechos, defective asamblea resolutions, possession conflicts, restitution claims. These cases live before Mexico's specialized agrarian courts, under their own statute and doctrine — a forum most firms never enter and where we practice by specialty. If your dispute touches land with agrarian history, this is precisely the counsel you want at the table. (And if you're being offered such land, due diligence exists so you never need this page.)

Civil — family and successions

The matters that follow life itself: successions and probate (intestate proceedings, contested wills, cross-border estates — the expensive aftermath of not having a Mexican will), and family matters with an international element: divorces involving property in Mexico, asset division, agreements that need enforcing. Sensitive work, handled with discretion and explained in English at every step.

Commercial

Breach of contract, collections, construction disputes, and corporate conflicts — shareholder and partner disputes, liability actions, deadlocked companies. If you hold a minority stake in a Mexican company and the majority stopped answering your emails, this is the practice that answers.

How we work a case

You don't need to be in Mexico for most of it: with an apostilled power of attorney we act on your behalf, and you follow the case from wherever you are.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be in Mexico for my lawsuit?
Usually not for most of it. With a properly apostilled power of attorney, we act on your behalf; you follow the case by video call and written reports in English. Some acts — certain testimony or personal appearances — may require you, and we tell you which and when, in advance.
How long does litigation take in Mexico?
Honestly: usually years, not months — timelines vary by court, state and matter. That is exactly why the case assessment exists: before you commit, you'll know the realistic duration, cost range and probability, and whether a negotiated exit beats the courtroom.
How do fees work for litigation?
The case assessment is a flat fee, quoted upfront. The litigation itself is quoted in writing by stage — filing, evidence, trial, appeal — so you decide at each phase with the numbers in front of you. No open-ended hourly meters.
Can you take over a case my previous lawyer started?
Yes. We start with a file review — same format as the case assessment — and tell you plainly where the case stands, what was done well, what needs correcting, and whether continuing makes sense. Then you decide.

In a dispute — or heading into one?

Start with the free 20-minute call. Bring the story; you'll leave knowing whether you have a case, and what it would honestly take.

Book your free 20-minute consultation

This page provides legal information, not legal advice; no attorney-client relationship is created by reading it. Case assessments and stage fees are quoted in writing before any engagement. © 2026 Terra Firma Attorneys at Law · terrafirma.law