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What is a Civil Case?

Daniel Liden
Daniel Liden

A civil case is a legal case involving civil law or common law, which involves disputes between individuals or organizations in which some form of compensation may be awarded to the victim. Criminal law, on the other hand, involves cases in which the state is against an individual as the individual has broken the state's laws. A civil case may also be referred to as civil action, civil proceedings, or a civil suit. Civil cases are almost exclusively intended to correct private issues such as breaches of contracts or various negligence issues. Public issues that affect individuals and the functioning of society as a whole are typically handled in criminal court.

The idea of punishment in a civil case is usually much different than in other legal cases. In criminal law, individuals are punished through time in jail or in prison. Sometimes they are required to pay a fine and in some particularly extreme cases they are executed. In a civil case, on the other hand, an individual typically will never be incarcerated or executed and he will generally never pay a significant fine to the state. Instead, he is normally required to reimburse the other individual involved in the case, the plaintiff, for damages that his actions have caused.

A civil case involves actions between private parties.
A civil case involves actions between private parties.

Civil law tends to combine two different legal traditions: common law and equity law. Common law simply describes a legal system that is developed through the cumulative decisions of judges, not by legislative action. In many cases, legislative laws do not determine the outcome of a civil case; civil cases tend to be decided based on the outcomes of past cases. Equity law originated in England; it involves judgment not based on rigid laws but on a simple adherence to natural law. The two forms of legal thought together influence the modern system of civil law.

Punishment in a civil case is usually much different than in other legal cases.
Punishment in a civil case is usually much different than in other legal cases.

There are many different kinds of civil cases, ranging from the very personal to those involving large companies. Some cases involve families; divorce cases, child support cases, and child custody cases are all examples of cases that fall into the realm of civil law. Sometimes, a civil case will involve an automobile incident, as when one driver sues another for damages to the automobile or to the person. Broken contracts are also very common in civil court; often, legal means are the only way to get one individual or company to pay another.

Discussion Comments

comfyshoes

GreenWeaver- Wow I think that was such a great case. I have to say that another one of the most famous civil cases has to be Roe v Wade. This was the landmark case that was decided in January of 1973.

It determined that banning abortions was deemed unconstitutional. The Supreme Court felt that the clause in the Texas law that only allowed abortions if the mother’s life was in danger was a violation of the equal protection clause in the fourteenth amendment.

This landmark case allowed all women the right to choose an abortion if they felt it was necessary.

This also protected many women from the dangers of having unsafe abortions because now doctors were permitted to perform them.

GreenWeaver

I think that one of the most famous civil law cases involved the case of Pacific Gas and Electric against the people of Hinkley California.

This case was made famous by the movie “Erin Brockovich” which starred Julia Roberts in an Oscar winning performance.

This case involved the use of a toxic form of chromium that was not only found in the soil, but in the drinking water as well.

The case was initially uncovered by a Erin Brockovich because she wanted to understand why there were real estate records for this company at her firm.

After much investigation she realized that for over 35 years people were developing all sorts of cancer and other illnesses as a result of Pacific Gas and Electric’s use of this type of chromium.

This case was settled for over $330 million dollars which was considered the largest settlement in history. I really loved this movie because it is amazing the power one person really has in making things right for others.

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    • A civil case involves actions between private parties.
      By: corepics
      A civil case involves actions between private parties.
    • Punishment in a civil case is usually much different than in other legal cases.
      By: Junial Enterprises
      Punishment in a civil case is usually much different than in other legal cases.
    • Child custody cases fall into the realm of civil law.
      By: sepy
      Child custody cases fall into the realm of civil law.
    • An individual will never be incarcerated in a civil case.
      By: andreykr
      An individual will never be incarcerated in a civil case.