What are the two sides in a civil case?

Asked by: Prof. Barton Treutel DVM  |  Last update: October 17, 2023
Score: 4.5/5 (52 votes)

Court cases that involve disputes between people or businesses over money or some injury to personal rights are called “civil” cases. A civil case usually begins when one person or business (called the "plaintiff") claims to have been harmed by the actions of another person or business (called the "defendant").

What are the two opposing sides in a civil trial?

Trials are held in courtrooms for both civil and criminal cases. A civil case takes place to settle claims or lawsuits as a person or multiple people. In a civil case, there is a plaintiff and a defendant. A criminal case occurs when charges are brought against a person by the government.

Who are the parties on both sides of the case?

Both the plaintiff and the defendant are also referred to as "parties" or "litigants." The plaintiff may ask the court to tell the defendant to fulfill the duty, or make compensation for the harm done, or both. Legal duties include respecting rights established under the Constitution or under federal or state law.

What are the two most common types of civil cases?

Types of Civil Cases

The three most common civil cases are tort claims, contract breaches and landlord/tenant issues.

What are the stages of a civil case?

Most civil lawsuits can be divided broadly into these stages:
  • Pre-filing stage. During this stage, the dispute arises and the parties gather information, try to negotiate a resolution, and prepare for the possibility of a court case. ...
  • Pleading stage. ...
  • Discovery stage. ...
  • Pre-trial stage. ...
  • Trial Stage. ...
  • Post-trial stage.

What is the difference between civil cases and criminal cases?

33 related questions found

Which person would be involved in a civil case?

The person who commences a civil lawsuit is called the plaintiff. The person against whom the suit is brought is the defendant.

What is an example of a plaintiff vs defendant?

John is seriously injured and he files a car accident lawsuit against Linda to recover additional damages that aren't covered by insurance. In this example, John is the plaintiff and Linda is the defendant. Because the plaintiff files the lawsuit, the plaintiff is responsible for drafting the complaint.

What is a plaintiff and defendant?

The plaintiff is a person or entity that files a lawsuit. The lawsuit includes a complaint and a summons which must be filed in the appropriate court. The defendant the person or entity that is being sued. Plaintiff and defendant are terms usually used in civil cases and/or a civil lawsuit.

Is it plaintiff v defendant or defendant v plaintiff?

(In the trial court, the first name listed is the plaintiff, the party bringing the suit. The name following the "v" is the defendant.

Which step during a civil case is when the two sides gather evidence?

Discovery is the process of gathering evidence from the other side to prepare your case for trial. During “discovery” you and the other side ask each other for information about each other's case and use this information to prepare for trial.

Who is opposite the defendant in court?

In a courtroom, the plaintiff is the person or group who is accusing another person or group of some wrongdoing. If you're the plaintiff, you are claiming that a law was broken, and you're in court to present your case. The plaintiff accuses, the defendant tries to prove that accusation wrong.

What is the opposing side of the defendant?

A lawsuit is called a “criminal case” when it is between the state on one side, as plaintiff, and a person on the other side, as defendant, charging the defendant with committing a crime, the verdict usually being “guilty” or “not guilty”.

Is there always a plaintiff?

The words “plaintiff” and “defendant” are used in nearly all civil proceedings. According to US law, the plaintiff is always the individual or corporation that initiates a lawsuit.

Why is a plaintiff called a plaintiff?

The word plaintiff can be traced to the year 1278, and stems from the Anglo-French word pleintif meaning "complaining". It was identical to "plaintive" at first and receded into legal usage with the -iff spelling in the 15th century. A plaintiff identified by name in a class action is called a named plaintiff.

Can the plaintiff and defendant be the same person?

The rule is stated in DictY ON PARTms To AcTIo s (rule 5) that "The same person cannot be both plaintiff and defendant," and he says that this rule "scarcely requires explanation, and results immediately from the fact that it is impossible for a man himself to infringe upon his own rights." But in Connell v.

What is a plaintiff in simple terms?

plaintiff, the party who brings a legal action or in whose name it is brought—as opposed to the defendant, the party who is being sued. The term corresponds to petitioner in equity and civil law and to libelant in admiralty.

What is the role of the plaintiff?

The role of a plaintiff in litigation. When you file a lawsuit against someone, the burden of proof falls on you as the plaintiff. It is your job to prove to the judge and court that the defendant has violated the law.

Which party is the plaintiff?

The plaintiff is the party that brings the lawsuit to court. The defendant is the party that's sued by the plaintiff.

What is a good sentence for plaintiff?

Yesterday was the turn of the civil plaintiffs in the case. The two plaintiffs said they suffered back pain and other injuries in the accident. The plaintiffs ask for the same procedure to be used for jails. She decided to join one of the lawsuits as a plaintiff.

What type of case has a plaintiff?

In a civil case, the plaintiff must convince the jury by a “preponderance of the evidence” (i.e., that it is more likely than not) that the defendant is responsible for the harm the plaintiff has suffered.

What is the difference between a plaintiff and a respondent?

Parties include plaintiff (person filing suit), defendant (person sued or charged with a crime), petitioner (files a petition asking for a court ruling), respondent (usually in opposition to a petition or an appeal), cross-complainant (a defendant who sues someone else in the same lawsuit), or cross-defendant (a person ...

What does a civil case generally proceeds as follows?

Answer: A civil case generally proceeds as follows: a. answer, complaint, discovery, trial, verdict.

Why would a good lawyer not tell a client how their case will come out at the initial consultation?

Why would a good lawyer not tell a client how their case will come out at the initial consultation? A good lawyer knows that every case is different and without doing research. A good lawyer will not guarantee the outcome of any case.

Who is more likely to win the plaintiff or defendant?

Plaintiffs won in 68% of bench trials, compared to about 54% of jury trials.

Who is leading the plaintiff?

In general, the lead plaintiff selects and retains lead counsel, negotiates attorneys' fees, oversees the litigation, participates in settlement negotiations, and makes major decisions on advice of counsel—such as whether to participate in mediation, accept a settlement offer, proceed with trial, or appeal.