Gah what's a "Civil court action"?

Would that include a pot-head slamming into the back of your car while it's parked and empty, and him getting summoned to court as a result?

A civil court action is where a suit is filed against someone, usually a company, representing a large number of people. An example would be if a chemical company had a large leak and it affected a nearby town. In addition to the EPA stepping in and doing any fines, a civil suit would most likely be brought against them. If the liable party is found guilty or settles, the money that is awarded gets split up amongst the plaintiffs (but the lawyer takes a large chunk.)

In your example, that would just be a criminal charge. He would have to pay for the damages or his insurance company, and if it was proven that he was high at the time he would get a DUI charge as well.

Actually I think that in the example it would be taking the aforementioned pot head to court and suing him or her after they'd been convicted of DUI and other criminal charges. Suing for damage to your vehicle and such isn't a criminal matter.... it's handled separately in civil court instead of in criminal.

(Obligatory disclaimer.... I Am Not A Lawyer.)

Sounds like a good story.. so, what happened?

God damn potheads!

Class Action suit is filed by a group of people against a corporation.

A civil suit is a case brought up by an individual against another. For example, I am suing you for cutting down the tree that was on my property.

As opposed to a criminal suit which is filed by the state as the result of a law being broken.

Yeah well I never pretended to be a lawyer

Big words and important paragraphs to confuse people...

I'm an environmental economist dammit! *runs off crying*

I was always curious, do civil courts allow any penalties other than monetary?

As far as I know, they can. If your neighbor's christmas decorations are causing a disturbance, for example... you can sue to have him take them down. (There's a case like that in the news today...) As well... the bulk of the ACLU's lawsuits aren't about money.... they're suing to stop something rather than for monetary damages.

So, who's car did you hit Garoad?

Hmm, well "civil court action" is the exact term I'm looking for, if that's the same as a civil suit...hmm..not sure.

Ok, since there seems to be interest...lol

Story is, one morning I hear this big thump outside the house. I look out the window, and see a car backing up behind mine. Well it turns out that two neighbors also witnessed it, and it hit my parked car--hard (pushed the car forward about 4 feet even though it was parked with the brakes on). It was parked on the side of the road where it's been for years.

The guy was a moron. He had 3 (including me) witnesses who saw/heard what happened, pieces of his car on the steet left behind, and I had seen him pull away personally. I clearly saw the person driving the car.

His car ALREADY had major front end damage to it (because that level of damage couldn't have been done by this "accident", that I believe was from another accident two weeks earlier. The cop that came to the scene, after the neighbor/witness (who happened to know him) described who it was, said HE (the cop) knew him too because he had ARRESTED him two weeks earlier. (I think for the bigger accident.)

But wait, I'm not finished yet. The guy tried to call in this 'accident' saying that a car with PA (different state) tags had hit him. (*cough*BULL*cough*) It also turned out that my sister *also* knew him, and knew that he was a pot-head. So forgive me if I'm a little "annoyed" by potheads playing bumper cars right now. In the end it was settled entirely in my favor, I didn't pay anything (other than hours of my time wasted...) Although, a few months later my car was broken into, and I don't have any proof of anything, but it makes you wonder. Nothing of value was in there to take, BUT the front panel to the radio (which is useless to a thief) was missing (-$200). (Since he probably lost his drivers license, given the points he should have gotten combined with the points from the other accident... not to mention his insurance rates that probably skyrocketed...it coulda been a revenge move but I don't know.)

And now it's wasting more of my time, because I have to figure out if this is considered my being invovled in a "civil court action" or not. The fun never ends...

After paying nearly $1,000 dollars for car regular "maintainance" and such a few weeks ago, I had SOOOO much fun discovering this: Just a few days ago, that the car's driver side mirror had been torn off by another idiot--again *while it was parked*. And it's not parked in a weird spot or anything at all. I've been parking there for years.

Yea...it's not like me to be like this, but I'm at the point where I am a little grumpy about the subject right now. I think the car is cursed.

Action is just another word for case. In order to initiate a civil case you must file an "action".

Thing is, I didn't "sue" anyone or anything. Maybe his insurance company challenged it or something but I know I got one of those court notification thingys in the mail (didn't actually need to go.) and it did have my name on it...

I'm thinking I'll probably have to dig that up and stick it on this mile-long application...oh well.

If this has to do with an ordinary job application I suspect you can just check whatever checkbox is appropriate and add a written explanation of what happened (stressing that you neither initiated the action nor were you found guilty of anything). If it's for a job that requires a security clearance you should be darned sure you get all the facts straight as they will be at least as interested in your truthfulness as they are in the facts of the case. Many sins are forgiven for security clearances as long as there is no attempt at deception on your part.

It would be the latter (security clearance)...

How about imprisonment? Community service? Probation? Bleh, I don't know enough about law.

Is that supposed to be a bad thing?

It's one of those "I wish I knew more when I wanted to know something but, otherwise, get me away from it things." I guess that is why we give our money to millionaires to explain it...

It's one of those things that you'd like to plug into your brain, like matrix, and then pull it the hell out when it's use is complete! Ewwwww get it off get it off!!!!