civil trial
Dispute in court
A civil trial is a court proceeding where one party seeks remedy from another for a non-criminal dispute—typically involving money, property, contracts, or personal injury.
Unlike criminal trials, where the state prosecutes and imprisonment is possible, civil trials are between private parties and usually result in monetary damages or injunctions: The company faced a civil trial over the defective product.
Expression of discontent
- summonsFormal court notification
- answerSolution to query
- discoveryAct of finding something
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
subpoena · testimony · evidence · cross-examination · motion · brief · summary judgment · deliberation
Civil case initiator
- defendantParty facing charges
- judgeOne who decides
- juryLegal decision-making body
- attorneyLicensed legal representative
witness · litigant · bailiff · court reporter · expert witness · counsel · paralegal · arbitrator
Official court decision
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- damagesCompensation for injury
- compensationPayment for services rendered
restitution · injunction · remedy · redress · award · findings · consent decree · dismissal
Superiority in weight or number
- burden of proofDuty to prove allegations
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
impartiality · liability · negligence · breach · standing · jurisdiction · precedent · standard of proof
Actionable civil harm
- negligenceFailure to exercise care
- breachBreaking of agreement
- contractEnforceable written agreement
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
malpractice · defamation · personal injury · property damage · wrongful termination · discrimination · fraud · nuisance
complaint
Expression of discontent
deposition · subpoena · testimony · evidence · cross-examination · motion · brief · summary judgment · deliberation · verdict
plaintiff
Civil case initiator
attorney · witness · litigant · bailiff · court reporter · expert witness · counsel · paralegal · arbitrator · mediator
verdict
Official court decision
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- damagesCompensation for injury
compensation · restitution · injunction · remedy · redress · award · findings · consent decree · dismissal · default judgment
preponderance
Superiority in weight or number
- burden of proofDuty to prove allegations
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
fairness · impartiality · liability · negligence · breach · standing · jurisdiction · precedent · standard of proof
tort
Actionable civil harm
- negligenceFailure to exercise care
- breachBreaking of agreement
- contractEnforceable written agreement
dispute · malpractice · defamation · personal injury · property damage · wrongful termination · discrimination · fraud · nuisance
- trialsretrial, mistrial, dry run, practice test, pilot test
- court proceedingsarraignment, verdict, hearing, testimony, plea
- legal proceedingsverdict, lawsuit, testimony, plea, appeal
- legal troubleslawsuit, criminal charge, arrest, prosecution, investigation
- trial systemsgrand jury, appeals court, arraignment, verdict, testimony
- jury trialjury deliberation, jury selection, juror selection, voir dire, jury pool
civil trialcriminal trial
Court case for crimes
criminal prosecution · criminal case · felony trial · criminal court · federal prosecution
civil trialarbitration
Non-court binding dispute resolution
out-of-court settlement · mediation · negotiated settlement · plea bargain · binding arbitration
civil, trial, civility, civilian, civilize, civilized, civilization, civics, civic