Where small amounts of money are involved, the legal fees can vastly exceed the amount at stake. To avoid this, people like Bill the buyer can handle their legal disputes without a lawyer. There, individuals like Bill the buyer still have their day in court but are spared the legal fees. Sometimes it makes good economic sense to bypass the legal system altogether, especially where the amount at stake is small. Parties to a dispute can consider alternatives to the legal system, such as arbitration or community-based dispute resolution centers.
People involved in equine transactions have every incentive to plan ahead with good contracts.
An important detail in a contract is a clause that addresses who will pay the legal fees if a legal dispute arises. Or, the parties can agree up front in the contract to submit their disputes to binding arbitration or mediation. Possibly, the legal expenses can be negotiated. Nowadays lawyers are more willing to consider creative compensation arrangements. Under a contingency fee arrangement, the lawyer's fee is derived from a percentage of the amount that the client wins.