Purpose of Civil Court
Civil court deals provide citizens a chance to seek damages against another person, usually financial. Landlords and tenants can settle disputes involving rent and security deposits. Small businesses seek payments owed by consumers, divorces are negotiated, and breach-of-contract arguments are settled.
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Disputes
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Civil court is meant to settle various types of arguments that are not considered criminal (against the law), as well as business, contract and personal disputes. When a person feels that a wrong has been committed, and there are not other options, he may file a civil suit against the other party.
Trial
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In civil court cases, both the plaintiff and defendant have the chance to present their argument to a judge or jury. Whether lawyers are involved or not, evidence and witnesses are presented, and the other side may be discredited during a cross-examination. The judge or jury makes a ruling, usually favoring one party or the other (though there may be a compromise).
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Meditation
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Mediation is used in civil cases to avoid going to trial. Both parties meet with a mediator, who allows both sides to present arguments and tries to reach an agreement without going to trial. Most civil cases are settled before trial.
Small Claims
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Small claims court is used to settle disputes which involve a smaller amount of money (this varies from state to state, but is usually less than $5,000 or less than $10,000). Many jurisdictions do not allow attorneys in small claims court, so the parties must represent themselves.
Judgement
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If money is involved, a judgement is ordered for one party to pay certain damages. The winning party needs to take extra steps to collect payment (which could include property liens). Judgements may be non-monetary, such as in child custody cases.
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