How long will my lawsuit take?
Someone has probably told you to settle in for a while. Nobody will say how long that is. Tertius will — it's read 9 million federal cases, thousands of them like yours.
First, one thing: this covers federal cases
Tertius reads U.S. federal civil cases — the kind filed in “United States District Court.” That includes matters like patent, securities, antitrust, and federal discrimination or civil-rights claims. It does not yet cover state-court cases — which is where most car-accident injury, divorce, landlord–tenant, and small-claims disputes are heard.
Not sure which you have? Look at the top of your complaint or summons. If it says “United States District Court,” it's federal and Tertius can help. A state or county court name means state court — not covered yet.
What you'll see
Your likely timeline
A realistic range from filing to resolution — the typical path, plus how fast and how slow it can reasonably go.
The odds it gets tossed
How often cases with your case's characteristics are dismissed before trial, as a straight percentage.
How cases like yours end
Settled, dismissed, or decided by a judge — the mix that actually happens, not the version from TV.
What it looks like
Two common examples, drawn from real federal cases. Your own case is computed from your complaint — this is just to show the shape of an answer.
Employment litigation
290,110 real cases · illustrative exampleGroup averages from 280-day median across real federal cases. Your own case is what the free preview computes.
Personal injury (federal)
394,134 real cases · illustrative exampleGroup averages from 472-day median across real federal cases. Your own case is what the free preview computes.
It won't tell you if you'll win.
It'll tell you how long you'll be fighting.
Every number comes from real federal court records, tested on cases the model never saw and published with its own accuracy. No predictions about the outcome. No false certainty.
Start free. Keep going if it helps.
The timeline preview is free. The full report is $149 — about an hour of a lawyer's time — and it's yours to keep, at the same link, printed to a clean PDF. See a sample report.
Questions
Will it tell me if I'll win?
No — and anything that claims to is guessing. Tertius doesn't predict who wins or what a case is worth. It tells you how long you're likely to be in it and how cases like yours tend to end.
Is this legal advice?
No. It's information drawn from public court records. It doesn't replace your lawyer, and it won't tell you what to do — it gives you a timeline you can plan your life around.
How do I know if my case is federal?
Look at the top of your court papers. If they say “United States District Court…,” it's federal — and Tertius covers it. A state or county court name (for example, “Superior Court of California” or “Supreme Court of the State of New York”) means state court, which isn't covered yet. Many everyday disputes — car accidents, divorce, landlord–tenant, small claims — are state cases.
Is my information private?
Yes. The preview is instant and takes no sign-up. Nothing you type is saved to your identity — we count anonymous usage only, never your case details tied to you.
What does the $149 report get me?
The full picture in one printable page: the timeline with fast and slow paths, the dismissal risk, how cases like yours resolve, what's pushing your timeline up or down, and the real cases yours was measured against. It stays at the same link and prints to a clean PDF.
Stop guessing how long.
One page, from your complaint, in about two minutes. The preview costs nothing.
Tertius forecasts timing, not merits or damages. It is not legal advice and does not predict whether you will win. U.S. federal civil cases only.