Also known as: cases · lawsuit · cause of action
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A judicial proceeding in which parties assert claims or defenses and seek resolution by a court.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Cobalt Energy challenges a federal tax on imported equipment in district court. The company argues the levy violates uniformity requirements under the Constitution. The court treats the filing as a case arising under federal law and proceeds to adjudicate the claim.
Citadel Security sues Coastal Shipping for breach but omits a key subcontractor. The court determines the subcontractor must be joined to protect its interests. It orders the subcontractor added as a party so the case can continue with all necessary participants.
After conviction, Charles Cunningham moves for relief based on newly discovered evidence. The court finds justice requires further proceedings. It vacates the judgment and schedules a new trial in the criminal case.
In a contract dispute, the court notices the date of a public holiday. It instructs the jury in the civil case to treat the noticed fact as conclusively established when deliberating.
Claire Campbell's lawyer learns she cannot manage her litigation due to illness. The attorney consults family members and seeks appointment of a guardian to safeguard her interests in the ongoing case.
Caleb Chang takes possession under an oral lease and pays rent for several months. The court recognizes a periodic tenancy in the case despite the missing writing, giving effect to the parties' performance.
A case exists once a party files a complaint or petition in court and the matter is placed on the docket for judicial resolution.
Yes. The same events may produce separate civil and criminal cases, each with its own parties, burdens, and remedies.
Authority ends when the case is dismissed, settled, or a final judgment is entered and all appeals are exhausted.
…not warranted by the Constitution. Congress have not power to give original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court in other cases than those described in the Constitution. An act of Congress repugnant to the Constitution cannot become a law. The courts of the United States are bound to take notice of the Constitution.…