civil courts
Non-criminal legal forums
Civil courts handle legal disputes between parties—individuals, businesses, or organizations—rather than criminal prosecutions by the state.
Cases involve contracts, property, family matters, personal injury, and similar claims where one party seeks compensation or specific action from another.
The landlord took the dispute to civil court.
Unlike criminal courts, civil courts determine liability rather than guilt, and penalties are typically monetary damages rather than imprisonment.
Civil case initiator
- defendantParty facing charges
- lawsuitCivil court proceeding
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- summonsFormal court notification
complaint · pleadings · discovery · deposition · testimony · evidence · cross-examination · verdict
Writ requiring testimony
- docketCourt's case schedule
- filingStoring documents systematically
- motionChange in position
- discoveryAct of finding something
deposition · testimony · summons · complaint · pleadings · procedural · appeal · hearing
Compensation for injury
- injunctionCourt-ordered behavioral requirement
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- redressCompensation for injury
remedy · settlement · compensation · restraining order · garnishment · lien · punitive damages · monetary award
Just and equal treatment
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- impartialityFreedom from prejudice
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- adjudicationFormal decision on disputes
judgment · integrity · objectivity · fair hearing · equal protection · legal rights · access to justice · judicial review
Conflict over binding terms
- property disputeLegal fight over ownership
- tortActionable civil harm
- negligenceFailure to exercise care
- personal injuryHarm to a person's body
malpractice · defamation · landlord-tenant · divorce · custody · probate · inheritance · small claims
plaintiff
Civil case initiator
summons · complaint · pleadings · discovery · deposition · testimony · evidence · cross-examination · verdict · settlement
subpoena
Writ requiring testimony
discovery · deposition · testimony · summons · complaint · pleadings · procedural · appeal · hearing · continuance
damages
Compensation for injury
- injunctionCourt-ordered behavioral requirement
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- reparationCompensation for injury done
redress · remedy · settlement · compensation · restraining order · garnishment · lien · punitive damages · monetary award · consent decree
fairness
Just and equal treatment
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- impartialityFreedom from prejudice
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
adjudication · judgment · integrity · objectivity · fair hearing · equal protection · legal rights · access to justice · judicial review · precedent
contract dispute
Conflict over binding terms
- property disputeLegal fight over ownership
- tortActionable civil harm
- negligenceFailure to exercise care
personal injury · malpractice · defamation · landlord-tenant · divorce · custody · probate · inheritance · small claims · consumer protection
- courtsfamily court, district court, criminal court, circuit court, juvenile court
- Islamic Lawsharia, Sharia, Shariah, Islamic law, fatwa
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- litigationpleadings, lawsuit, plaintiff, complaint, lawsuits
- lower courtsmagistrates court, district court, municipal court, family court, juvenile court
- civil lawproperty disputes, Napoleonic Code, litigation, damage claims, codification
civil courtscriminal courts
Forums adjudicating offenses
criminal justice system · criminal division · military courts · military tribunals · courts-martial
civil courtsarbitration
Non-court binding dispute resolution
mediation · out-of-court settlement · negotiation · negotiated settlement · vigilante justice
civil, civic, civilian, courts, civilized, courtyard, civilization, uncivilized, uncivil