The end of litigation is justice.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) The ultimate purpose of all litigation is the attainment of justice — procedure is a means, not an end, and must yield when it obstructs rather than serves justice.

Where this applies

• A judge streamlines a complex trial by cutting redundant procedural steps, reasoning that the goal of litigation is to reach a just outcome, not to follow procedure for its own sake.
• An appellate court reverses a lower court's dismissal on a technicality, holding that the purpose of the legal system is justice, and procedure must serve that purpose.
• A mediator reminds both parties that the point of their dispute resolution process is to achieve a fair result, not to win procedural battles.