1. By Kelly Marken CIVIL LAW & LAWSUITS

2. WHEN YOU TURN 18 YOU CAN SUE AND BE SUED IN A CIVIL COURT

3. CRIMINAL AND CIVIL Legal actions are divided up into two categories, criminal and civil Criminal actions are legal proceedings in which the state prosecutes a person who is charged with a public offense Civil actions are lawsuits in which someone sues someone else for money damages or something else to compensate for an injury or damaged property

4. WHAT IS A TORT? Tort is the legal term for certain kinds of injuries or damages that could lead to a lawsuit. Basically injuring someone or damaging someone’s property or reputation If you commit a tort, even if it was an accident, you can be sued Some torts are crimes and you can be tried in two courts for the same conduct, and if you are found liable you could have to pay for all damages

5. EXAMPLES OF TORTS Negligent Driving Causing injuries and/or damaging property Assault Unlawfully attempting to touch or harm another person Battery Intentionally touching another person without his or her consent False Imprisonment Keeping someone in a place so they can’t leave Defamation An unlawful written or spoken attack on the reputation or good name of a person

6. IS THERE A TIME LIMIT FOR FILING A LAWSUIT? Yes, there are laws that set time limits for filing various types of law suits, called statutes of limitations. This limit if generally two years from time of injury For lawsuits involving damage to a person or property the time limit is three years from the date the damage occurred If the injury occurred when you were a child you could wait until you were 18 before the time clock starts to file a lawsuit