Civil lawsuits usually involve private disputes between persons or organizations, while criminal cases involve an action that is considered to be harmful to society as a whole.
To begin a civil lawsuit in court, the plaintiff files a complaint with the court and “serves” a copy of the complaint on the defendant. The complaint describes the plaintiff’s damages or injury, explains how the defendant caused the harm, shows that the court has jurisdiction, and asks the court to order relief. A plaintiff may seek money to compensate for the damages, or may ask the court to order the defendant to stop the conduct that is causing the harm. The court may also order other types of relief, such as a declaration of the legal rights of the plaintiff in a particular situation.
Unlike a criminal case, which is looking to punish the wrongdoer for a crime, a civil case is meant to compensate the victim.
Examples of civil lawsuits are:
Torts – Cases involving claims for such things as personal injury, battery, negligence, defamation, medical malpractice, and fraud;
Breach of contract – Cases involving claims for such things as not completing a job, not paying in full or on time, and failing to deliver goods sold or promised;
Equitable claims – Cases where a party is seeking a temporary restraining order or injunction to stop something such as the destruction of property, the improper transfer of land, or the solicitation of a business’s customers;
Also included are landlord/tenant issues, divorce, child support, and custody.
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