Which term describes a legal action usually filed when one party sues another party?

• A. Civil proceeding
• B. Criminal proceeding
• C. Indictment
• D. Summary offense

Answer: (A)

When one party sues another, the action is a civil proceeding. Civil proceedings handle disputes between private parties or organizations and seek remedies such as damages or injunctions rather than punishment. They’re typically started by filing a civil complaint or petition against the other party. In contrast, criminal proceedings are brought by the government for violations of the law, an indictment is a formal criminal charge, and a summary offense is a minor criminal offense. So the civil proceeding is the correct description for a suiting action between private parties.