What is considered a civil suit?

A civil suit refers to a legal action taken by one party against another in a civil court, primarily to resolve non-criminal disputes. Civil suits often involve issues such as contracts, torts, property disputes, family law, and other matters that do not involve criminal charges. The objective in a civil suit is typically to obtain compensation or specific performance rather than to punish the wrongdoer, which distinguishes it from criminal cases.

In this context, civil suits allow individuals or entities to seek remedy for perceived wrongs in relation to personal or business relationships. The process is governed by civil procedure and focuses on resolving disputes through the judicial system.

Other options describe contexts that do not correctly define a civil suit. Criminal cases involve the government prosecuting an individual for alleged criminal behavior, which is fundamentally different from civil action. Arbitration, while a method for dispute resolution, is not exclusively a civil suit and may occur outside of court. Lastly, while governmental bodies can be involved in civil suits, they are not exclusively the only parties that can engage in litigation under civil law.