Glossary
Civil case
A lawsuit between two private parties: usually individuals, businesses, or organizations: about a non-criminal dispute. The plaintiff asks the court to order the defendant to pay money, do something, or stop doing something.
Most cases ordinary people deal with are civil. Examples: landlord-tenant disputes, debt collection, divorce, custody, contract disputes, personal injury claims, employment disputes, small claims, neighbor disputes, and consumer protection cases.
In civil cases, the plaintiff has to prove their claim by a "preponderance of the evidence": meaning more likely true than not. That's a much lower bar than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard used in criminal cases. The consequences are also different: civil cases typically end in money damages or an order to do (or stop doing) something, not in jail.