Civil Court Defined
There are both local and federal civil courts, each with different responsibilities. In a civil case, the plaintiff or plaintiffs (the person, people or organization who filed charges) seeks damages from a defendant or defendants.
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Small Claims
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Small claims courts deal with cases in which the damages sought are less than a certain threshold. The exact number varies from state to state, but is generally less than $10,000.
Class Action
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Class action lawsuits are those cases in which a group of people sues an individual or organization for very similar reasons. These cases usually involve one product or action that affected all of the plaintiffs.
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Cases
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Several types of cases are tried in civil court. Common cases include matters of family law, probate, disputes between landlords and tenants, contract disputes and cases concerning injuries or property damage.
Process
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A civil case begins when the plaintiff files his or her case. This is followed by a period of "discovery," during which the litigants prepare their cases. A hearing or trial follows discovery, if the case is not resolved pre-trial.
Differences
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Civil cases, compared to criminal case, have a significantly lower burden of proof. Civil cases also typically involve monetary damages, or unfulfilled obligations, as opposed to incarceration.
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