Lawsuit Law and Legal Definition
A lawsuit is an action brought before a court of law by one party against another. A lawsuit may involve dispute resolution of private law issues between individuals, business entities or non-profit organizations. A law suit can also be filed against the government. A lawsuit is the legal mechanism through which the aggrieved party seeks to enforce a legal right or equitable remedy. The party who files a lawsuit is called plaintiff and the party against whom such suit is filed is called the defendant. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint. The court will decide the legal question and if the plaintiff is successful in the lawsuit, judgment will be granted to enforce the plaintiff’s right. The court may also award damages, or impose an injunction to prevent an act or compel an act. The conduct of a lawsuit is called litigation. In common law adversarial system, the conduct of a law suit is governed by rules of criminal or civil procedure.
