Glossary
Liability
Legal responsibility for something: usually for harm caused to another person or for breaching a duty. A finding of liability typically means the defendant owes the plaintiff some kind of remedy.
Liability is what civil cases are usually fighting about. The plaintiff says: you're responsible for this harm and you owe me. The defendant says: I'm not responsible, or someone else is, or what happened wasn't legally my fault.
A finding of liability is separate from a finding on damages. A jury can decide the defendant is liable but award only nominal damages if the plaintiff can't prove they were actually harmed.