Civil litigation is the method which our country has chosen to resolve civil disputes. Civil
cases are different from criminal cases. In criminal cases, the State prosecutes a person and attempts to punish them with jail time or the payment of fines or restitution. In a civil case, one party files a lawsuit against another person usually asking for the court to award money. Except for contempt of court, a party cannot typically ask a court in a civil case to put another party in jail for a wrongdoing. In a typical civil case, a party called the plaintiff files a complaint in court which has to be answered by the defendant. A complaint usually asks the court to award money damages to the plaintiff. A complaint can also ask for an injunction to stop the defendant from taking some action or to force the defendant to take an action.
