civil suit
- noun
- /ˈsɪvəl sjuːt/
- Specialized
- The lawyer explained that a civil suit is different from a criminal case because it seeks monetary damages rather than punishment.
- bring a civil suit
- file a civil suit
- immunity from civil suits
And sure enough, she has brought all these civil suits against Trump and the Trump Organization.
- And sure enough, she has brought all these civil suits against Trump and the Trump Organization.
- So the one last measure that people have is bringing private suits, civil suits in the states.
- And we had the TV on and this was around the civil verdict in the civil suit.
- So if they settle the plaintiff in a civil suit and the extended victim in in a criminal suit says, well, now we're partners in this.
Examples
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They wanted Mr. Miller to drop the civil suit he had filed.
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The Wrights have officially filed their civil suit against the City of Des Moines.
Blog text (18) -
Now, you can file a civil suit.
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I understand there was a civil suit against a college a few years back.
Academic text (1993) -
And sure enough, she has brought all these civil suits against Trump and the Trump Organization.
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I only deal with domestic and civil suits.
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Already, Ohio has filed civil suits against the company and its officers and employees.
Academic text (1998) -
In civil suits, one person or group is seeking damages from another group or person.
Academic text (1998) -
In a recent civil suit in Seattle, a judge suggested that some recovered-memory therapy might be overly suggestive.
Academic text (1993) -
Let the record reflect that we have filed a civil suit on behalf of the named plaintiffs against Arthur Denning of Pierson Pharmaceuticals.
Synonyms
A person or company brings a claim to court to get a legal decision
A case one person brings against another in court to get a decision
To use the courts to settle a dispute
A legal case to get money or fix a private wrong, not a criminal case
Antonyms
How Serious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a lawsuit under civil law' is directly and predictably composed from 'civil' (relating to non-criminal/public law) + 'suit' (a legal action). This straightforward adjective+noun composition follows common English and cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Civil suit pairs civil (about private people, not 'criminal' matters) and suit, an old word for a formal request in court. Imagine someone going to a judge to ask for money or help, and that picture explains why civil suit means a court case between people or companies, not a 'criminal' trial.