Definition

1. Noun:
   • A lawsuit in a court of law: A civil action is a legal proceeding initiated by one party (the plaintiff) against another (the defendant) to enforce or protect a private right, or to obtain a remedy for a wrong that is not a crime. It is distinct from a criminal prosecution, which is brought by the state.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The company filed a civil action against its former partner for breach of contract.
  • A civil action for damages is often the only recourse for victims of negligence.

Advanced Usage

• "To bring a civil action": To formally initiate a lawsuit in a civil court.
  • The injured party decided to bring a civil action to recover medical expenses.

Variants and Related Words

• Civil suit (n): Another term for a civil action.

  • The dispute was settled before the civil suit went to trial.

• Litigation (n): The process of taking legal action; the process of conducting a lawsuit.

  • The lengthy litigation exhausted both parties financially.

Synonyms

• Lawsuit: A comprehensive term for a case in a court of law.
• Legal proceeding: A formal process to resolve a legal dispute.

Related Phrases

• Class action: A type of civil action where a large group of people collectively bring a claim to court.

  • The consumers joined a class action against the manufacturer.

• Tort action: A civil action seeking compensation for a wrongful act (tort) that caused injury or loss.

  • The victim's family pursued a tort action for wrongful death.

Noun

1. legal action to protect a private civil right or to compel a civil remedy (as distinguished from criminal prosecution)