Lawsuit

n. case in a court of law brought by one party against another, legal claim

"Civil action" redirects here. For the film starring John Travolta of the same name, see A Civil Action.In American law, a lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in which the party commencing the action, the plaintiff, seeks a legal remedy. One or more defendants are required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint. If the plaintiff is successful, judgment will be given in the plaintiff's favor, and a range of court orders may be issued to enforce a right, award damages, or impose an injunction to prevent an act or compel an act. A declaratory judgment may be issued to prevent future legal disputes.
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Noun
1. a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy; "the family brought suit against the landlord"
(synonym) suit, case, cause, causa
(hypernym) proceeding, legal proceeding, proceedings
(hyponym) civil suit
(classification) law, jurisprudence

(n.)
An action at law; a suit in equity or admiralty; any legal proceeding before a court for the enforcement of a claim.
  

A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.