Definition

Noun: - A legal wrong: In law, a civil wrong is an act or omission that causes harm or loss to an individual or their property, for which the injured party can seek a remedy, typically monetary damages, through a civil lawsuit. It is distinct from a criminal wrong. - The basis for a tort claim: It is the wrongful act that forms the foundation of a tort action, where one person's conduct causes a legally cognizable injury to another.

Usage

• The term is used in legal contexts to categorize wrongful acts that are addressed by civil law, not criminal law.
• It describes the nature of the harm that gives rise to a right to sue for compensation.

Examples

• As a noun:
  • Driving negligently and causing a car accident is a civil wrong that can lead to a lawsuit for damages.
  • The company's failure to maintain safe premises constituted a civil wrong, making it liable for the customer's injuries.
  • Libel, or publishing false and damaging statements, is a classic example of a civil wrong.

Advanced Usage

• "Actionable civil wrong": A wrong for which a legal remedy (a lawsuit) is available.
  • Not every minor inconvenience is an actionable civil wrong; the harm must be significant and legally recognized.
• "Remedy for a civil wrong": The legal solution, usually financial compensation (damages), awarded to the injured party.
  • The primary remedy for a civil wrong is an award of monetary damages to the plaintiff.

Variants and Related Words

• Tort (n): This is the most common and specific legal term for a civil wrong, other than a breach of contract, for which the law provides a remedy. "Civil wrong" is a broader, more general term that encompasses torts.
  • Negligence and trespass are both types of torts.
• Wrongful act (n): A more general, non-technical phrase for an act that is unjust or infringes upon a right.
• Delict (n): A term used in some legal systems, particularly civil law jurisdictions, synonymous with a tort or civil wrong.

Synonyms

• Tort: (The primary legal synonym)
• Wrongful act: (A general synonym)
• Legal injury: (Emphasizes the harm recognized by law)

Related Phrases

• Commit a civil wrong: To perform an act that constitutes a tort.
  • By releasing the toxic chemicals, the factory committed a civil wrong against the town's residents.
• Liable for a civil wrong: Legally responsible for the damages caused by the wrongful act.
  • The defendant was found liable for the civil wrong of fraud.

Related Idioms

• "Right a wrong": While not exclusively legal, this idiom aligns with the concept of seeking justice or compensation for a harm suffered, which is the goal of a civil lawsuit for a civil wrong.
  • She filed the lawsuit to right the wrong done to her reputation.

Noun

1. (law) any wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be brought