Think about a dispute that never reaches a courtroom. Maybe your neighbor’s tree drops branches on your car, and you agree over coffee that she’ll pay for the repair. That quiet settlement saved both of you time, money, and stress. The legal process is a more structured version of the same idea: we want disputes to end correctly and cheaply, and we want the system to encourage people to sort things out on their own when that’s sensible. This chapter uses economic thinking to look at every stage—from the moment someone considers suing, through discovery and bargaining, to trial and appeal—always asking how the design of the process steers behavior and wastes as few resources as possible.