Discovering a legal action against your company can be unsettling. Unfortunately, many businesses remain unaware of active cases until it’s too late. If you suspect or want to verify whether your company faces litigation, here are the local resources you can use to check:
- PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)
- State court websites (Maryland Judiciary Case Search, DC Courts)
- EEOC Respondent Portal
- Department of Labor complaint portals
Legal notices don’t always arrive promptly or obviously. Court summons might be delivered to an unmanned reception desk, regulatory inquiries could be sent to outdated addresses, and complaints might get lost in daily mail.
Without a system to monitor potential legal actions, your business could miss critical response deadlines, resulting in default judgments, increased penalties, and loss of opportunity to present a defense.
Our labor attorney in Maryland will help protect your business interests and manage potential legal challenges.
How to look up lawsuits against a company
1. PACER (Federal Court System)
PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) provides access to federal court documents. To use this system:
- Create an account at pacer.uscourts.gov
- Search by company name, tax ID, or other identifiers
- Review any federal cases filed against your business
Note that PACER charges $0.10 per page for documents (with a $3.00 cap per document) and has quarterly billing for accounts that exceed $30 in charges.
2. State Court Websites
Each state maintains its own court records database:
- Maryland: Use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search to find cases in district and circuit courts
- Washington DC: Check the DC Courts Case Search
- Virginia: Access the Virginia Judiciary Case Information System
These databases allow searching by business name, although formatting and requirements vary by state.
3. EEOC Respondent Portal
If your company has received an EEOC complaint, you can create an account on the EEOC Respondent Portal to:
- View charges filed against your organization
- Submit position statements
- Communicate with investigators
- Upload documents
4. Department of Labor Enforcement Database
The Department of Labor maintains searchable enforcement databases for:
- Wage and hour violations
- OSHA compliance issues
- Federal contractor violations
Many legal actions may not appear in public records immediately. Cases under investigation or recently filed might not be visible until they progress through initial procedural steps.
Unsure if your company has a case filed against it? Call our employment lawyer in Washington DC for immediate support and strategic insight.
Signs that your business may have a case against it
⚠️ Early warning signs to watch for:
- Unexpected visits from investigators or process servers
- Receipt of a Notice of Right to Sue from the EEOC
- A client or vendor abruptly terminating communication
- Requests for unusual document preservation
- Subpoenas for records or employee testimony
- Patterns of negative reviews or social media posts suggesting legal action
- Former employees suddenly requesting personnel files or records
- Whistleblower activity within your organization
- Current employees being contacted by attorneys or investigators
Many of these signs occur before formal legal action appears in public records, giving you valuable time to prepare a response strategy.
What types of cases can be filed against a company?
Businesses face various legal actions, each with different procedures and consequences:
| Type of Claim | Filing Agency | Where to Check | Potential Consequences |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEOC Complaints | Equal Employment Opportunity Commission | EEOC Respondent Portal | Monetary damages, mandated policy changes, reputation damage |
| Breach of Contract | State/Federal Courts | PACER, State Court Records | Financial damages, contract termination, business relationship loss |
| Wage & Hour Disputes | Department of Labor, State Labor Agencies | DOL Enforcement Database | Back pay, penalties, audits of all pay practices |
| Discrimination Claims | EEOC, State Human Rights Commissions | EEOC Portal, State Agency Records | Compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney fees |
| Whistleblower Cases | OSHA, SEC, Other Agencies | Agency Databases | Investigations, fines, enhanced scrutiny |
| ADA Violations | EEOC, DOJ | EEOC Portal, PACER | Facility modifications, policy changes, damages |
| FMLA Violations | Department of Labor | DOL Enforcement Database | Back pay, job reinstatement, damages |
| Regulatory Investigations | OSHA, EPA, etc. | Agency Enforcement Databases | Fines, operational restrictions, required remediation |
Each type of claim follows different timelines and procedures, making proactive monitoring essential.
How our lawyers can help if your company is being sued
Flood Law serves as your strategic partner when legal challenges arise. Our experienced employment defense team provides:
- Immediate risk assessment to understand potential exposure
- Response preparation for charges, complaints, or investigations
- Strategic negotiation with opposing counsel to seek efficient resolution
- Litigation defense when settlement isn’t the right approach
- Guidance on internal communications to protect attorney-client privilege
- Management of discovery and document production
- Development of compliance protocols to prevent future litigation
With over 45 years of combined litigation experience and 13 years of in-house corporate counsel experience, our attorneys understand the business implications of legal disputes. We’ve represented clients in over 60 jury and bench trials across multiple jurisdictions, giving us the insight to anticipate challenges before they escalate.
Our team has successfully defended employers against claims involving Title VII, the FLSA, ADA, ADEA, and various state employment laws. This experience allows us to evaluate cases efficiently and develop tailored defense strategies.
Our employment attorney in Virginia will help you monitor legal threats and respond before they escalate.
What happens if you ignore a legal notice or complaint?
Ignoring a legal notice or complaint typically results in a default judgment against your company, removing your opportunity to dispute claims or negotiate more favorable terms. Courts and agencies interpret non-response as an admission of the allegations.
Default judgments often include the full damages requested by plaintiffs, plus potential penalties and interest. Additionally, your company could face court costs, the plaintiff’s attorney fees, and potential contempt penalties.
For example, a manufacturing company in Virginia missed the 21-day response deadline for an EEOC disability discrimination complaint. By the time the company realized its error, the case had progressed to federal court with a default judgment of $175,000 in damages, $45,000 in attorney fees, and a court-mandated three-year monitoring period for all hiring and accommodation practices.
⚖️ Courts rarely overturn default judgments except in extraordinary circumstances, making timely response to all legal notices critical for your business.
Additional reading: how to win an EEOC complaint (as an employer)
Steps to take immediately after discovering a legal action
Checklist to follow if you’ve been served:
- Contact legal counsel immediately – preferably our attorney experienced in the specific type of claim
- Read all legal documents thoroughly, noting deadlines and required actions
- Implement a litigation hold to preserve all relevant documents, emails, and communications
- Identify key personnel who may have knowledge related to the claims
- Avoid communicating about the case outside of privileged conversations with counsel
- Review insurance policies to determine if coverage exists for the claim type
- Gather and organize relevant records, contracts, or correspondence
- Establish a single point of contact for all case-related communications
- Avoid retaliation or adverse actions against any employees involved (especially in EEOC cases)
- Consider whether early settlement discussions might be appropriate
Remember that response deadlines are strict – federal court complaints typically require a response within 21 days, while state courts and administrative agencies have varying deadlines.
How to monitor your company’s legal exposure going forward
Implementing a proactive legal monitoring system helps identify potential issues before they escalate to formal complaints. Consider these strategies:
- Create a formal process for receiving and documenting legal correspondence, ensuring multiple people review incoming mail and email at regular intervals. Designate backup personnel for when primary contacts are unavailable.
- Conduct quarterly searches of relevant court and agency databases using various forms of your company name to catch improperly served notices. This practice can identify lawsuits where service was attempted but was unsuccessful.
- Establish robust internal reporting mechanisms that encourage employees to raise concerns internally before seeking external remedies. Studies show that companies with effective internal resolution systems face significantly fewer formal complaints.
- Consider engaging counsel for an annual compliance audit covering employment practices, contract compliance, and regulatory obligations. These preventative reviews often identify and correct issues before they become legal actions.
- Training managers to properly handle employee complaints is equally important. Managers should understand when to escalate issues to HR or legal counsel and how to document interactions appropriately.
Case study: When a company didn’t act in time
A mid-sized retail company based in Arlington, Virginia, with 85 employees, received an EEOC discrimination complaint but mistakenly filed it with general correspondence. The company’s HR director was on extended leave, and the temporary replacement assumed someone else was handling it.
By the time the complaint was discovered 45 days later, the response deadline had passed. Despite attempts to file a late response, the EEOC investigation proceeded with only the employee’s version of events considered. The EEOC found reasonable cause and issued a right-to-sue letter.
The former employee filed in federal court, where the company’s delayed response pattern continued, resulting in missing critical deadlines. The court issued a default judgment of $225,000 plus attorney’s fees of $75,000.
What could have prevented this outcome:
- A clear process for handling legal notices, regardless of who receives them
- Cross-training of personnel on legal correspondence protocols
- Early engagement with employment counsel upon receiving the initial EEOC notice
- Calendar reminders for response deadlines with multiple alerts
This case demonstrates how a relatively straightforward discrimination claim with defensible elements became a significant financial liability solely due to procedural failures.
Reach out to our employment defense lawyers for trusted guidance
Discovering a legal action against your company can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to manage these challenges alone. Our experienced team understands the complexities of employment law and business litigation in Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia.
Early intervention often makes the difference between a manageable resolution and a costly judgment. Our approach focuses on understanding your business goals and developing defense strategies aligned with your long-term objectives.
Call us today at (240) 403-2619 to talk about your case in further detail.
Final Points
Finding out if a case has been filed against your company requires diligence and systematic monitoring. Regular checks of court databases, prompt attention to all legal correspondence, and maintaining relationships with experienced counsel create a strong defense posture.
Remember that the most effective approach combines vigilance with proactive compliance efforts. By identifying potential issues early, many formal legal actions can be prevented entirely.
When legal challenges do arise, timely response and strategic counsel make all the difference in protecting your company’s interests and reputation.
FAQs
What should I do if I suspect a lawsuit has been filed but haven’t received any official notice?
Conduct immediate searches in relevant court databases using variations of your company name. If you locate a filed case, contact experienced counsel right away – courts may allow alternative service methods if traditional service fails, and the clock might already be ticking on your response deadline.
You should also check with all office locations and departments to ensure a notice hasn’t been delivered and misplaced. Consider conducting regular database searches if you have reason to believe legal action is imminent.
Can a case move forward against my business if I haven’t been personally served?
Yes, in many circumstances. While proper service is generally required, courts may authorize alternative service methods if plaintiffs demonstrate they’ve made reasonable attempts at traditional service. These alternatives can include publication notices, service to registered agents, or electronic service.
Administrative proceedings often have different service requirements than court cases. For example, EEOC complaints require only that the agency send notice to your last known address – whether you receive it or not.
How can I protect my company from false or exaggerated claims?
Documentation is your strongest defense. Implement thorough recordkeeping practices for all employment decisions, customer interactions, and contract performance. Regular policy reviews and consistent application of company rules create defensible positions.
Consider using exit interviews, customer satisfaction surveys, and vendor feedback mechanisms to identify potential issues before they escalate. Maintain business records for the full duration of applicable statutes of limitations, which can range from 1-6 years depending on the claim type.
What happens if I respond late to a legal complaint against my business?
Courts and agencies have discretion regarding late responses but generally require “good cause” for any deadline extension. Technical difficulties, confusion about procedures, or simple oversight rarely qualify as good cause.
If you discover a missed deadline, immediately contact counsel to file an emergency motion explaining the circumstances and requesting permission to file a late response. While courts sometimes grant these requests, they’re never guaranteed – prevention through diligent monitoring remains the better approach.
How can your law firm help my company avoid or fight back against a lawsuit?
Our approach combines preventative counsel with strong defense when needed. We provide compliance reviews to identify potential liability areas before they become problems. If litigation arises, we develop defense strategies based on your business goals – whether that means vigorous defense or efficient resolution.
With extensive experience before courts and administrative agencies throughout Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, we understand the procedural nuances that often determine case outcomes. Our team provides practical guidance on documentation practices, internal investigations, and response strategies that protect your business interests.