What is a civil lawsuit?

A civil lawsuit is fundamentally a legal dispute where two or more parties seek resolution through the court system, typically aiming for monetary damages or specific performance rather than criminal sanctions. In such cases, the focus is often on resolving issues such as contracts, property disputes, or personal injury claims, where one party claims to have been wronged and seeks compensation or a specific action from the other party.

Unlike criminal trials, which involve the government prosecuting an individual for violating laws, civil lawsuits are primarily concerned with the rights and obligations of individuals or entities in their relationship with one another. This distinction emphasizes the restorative aspect of civil law, where the harmed party seeks a remedy.

Administrative hearings and mediation processes, while they are methods of dispute resolution, do not fit the definition of a civil lawsuit as they typically do not involve formal legal claims being litigated in a court of law. Mediation is a voluntary, alternative dispute resolution process where parties negotiate a settlement with the help of a neutral third party. Therefore, the clarity of a civil lawsuit's function and objectives makes it stand out distinctly from the other options presented.