Suit vs. Case — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 21, 2024
A suit refers to a legal action by an individual or group against another in civil court, focusing on disputes and claims, whereas a case encompasses any legal proceeding, including criminal trials.
Difference Between Suit and Case
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A suit is a type of legal action initiated by an individual, group, or entity in a civil court, aiming to resolve disputes or claims against another party. These disputes often involve matters such as contracts, property, and family law. On the other hand, a case is a broader term that includes both civil suits and criminal proceedings. It refers to any legal action or dispute brought before a court for resolution.
While a suit specifically requires a plaintiff who brings the action and a defendant against whom the action is brought, focusing on obtaining remedies like damages or specific performance, a case can also involve the state or government as the prosecutor in criminal matters. Here, the objective can range from punishment, such as fines or imprisonment, to societal protection.
Suits are governed by civil law and aim to address grievances, restore rights, or compensate for losses. They are characterized by the pursuit of monetary compensation or specific actions from the defendant. Conversely, cases in the criminal realm are governed by criminal law, emphasizing the enforcement of laws, deterrence, rehabilitation, and punishment.
The process and proceedings in a suit often involve pre-trial discovery, negotiations, and potential settlement to avoid trial. These steps allow both parties to understand the evidence and work towards a resolution without a court's direct intervention. Whereas, cases, especially criminal ones, may involve preliminary hearings, plea bargains, and trials by jury, focusing on establishing guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
In a suit, the outcome is typically a judgment in favor of the plaintiff or defendant, leading to financial restitution or injunctive relief. In contrast, the resolution of a case can lead to a variety of outcomes, including acquittal, sentencing, or alternative dispute resolutions, reflecting the broader scope and variety of legal proceedings beyond civil disputes.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Legal action in civil court by an individual/group against another.
Any legal proceeding, including civil suits and criminal trials.
Objectives
To resolve disputes, claim damages, or seek specific actions.
To address legal disputes, enforce laws, or determine criminal guilt.
Involved Parties
Plaintiff (who brings the suit) vs. Defendant.
Can involve plaintiff vs. defendant or prosecutor vs. defendant.
Governing Law
Civil law.
Civil or criminal law, depending on the nature.
Typical Outcomes
Financial restitution, injunctive relief.
Wide range, including acquittal, sentencing, or financial restitution.
Compare with Definitions
Suit
A legal claim or dispute brought in a civil court.
The company filed a suit against the contractor for breach of contract.
Case
The set of facts or arguments supporting one side in a legal dispute.
The defense presented a strong case for acquittal.
Suit
A legal mechanism for dispute resolution in civil law.
The suit was settled out of court through mediation.
Case
Any legal action or proceeding in a court.
The case against the accused will go to trial next month.
Suit
An action to enforce a right or redress a wrong.
The homeowner initiated a suit for damages caused by the neighbor’s negligence.
Case
An instance of legal examination or litigation.
The case concluded with a sentence of community service.
Suit
The process of taking legal action in a civil context.
They considered filing a suit to recover the unpaid loan.
Case
A matter brought before a court of law for adjudication.
The judge dismissed the case due to lack of evidence.
Suit
A proceeding to resolve claims of civil nature.
Their suit sought compensation for the unauthorized use of intellectual property.
Case
A legal situation involving a specific issue or party.
The landmark case set a new legal precedent.
Suit
A set of outer clothes made of the same fabric and designed to be worn together, typically consisting of a jacket and trousers or a jacket and skirt
A pinstriped suit
Case
An instance of a particular situation; an example of something occurring
A case of mistaken identity
In many cases farmers do have a deep feeling for their land
Suit
Any of the sets into which a pack of playing cards is divided (in conventional packs comprising spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs).
Case
An instance of a disease, injury, or problem
200,000 cases of hepatitis B
Suit
A lawsuit.
Case
A legal action, especially one to be decided in a court of law
A libel case
A former employee brought the case against the council
Suit
The process of trying to win a woman's affection with a view to marriage
He could not compete with John in Marian's eyes and his suit came to nothing
Case
Any of the forms of a noun, adjective, or pronoun that express the semantic relation of the word to other words in the sentence
The accusative case
Suit
A complete set of sails required for a ship or for a set of spars
They went ashore and changed to another suit of sails
Case
A container designed to hold or protect something
A silver cigarette case
Suit
Be convenient for or acceptable to
The flat has two bedrooms—if it suits, you can have one of them
What time would suit you?
Case
Each of the two forms, capital or minuscule, in which a letter of the alphabet may be written or printed.
Suit
Enhance the features, figure, or character of (someone)
The dress didn't suit her
Case
Surround in a material or substance
The towers are of steel cased in granite
Suit
Put on clothes, especially for a particular activity
I suited up and entered the water
Case
Reconnoitre (a place) before carrying out a robbery
I was casing the joint
Suit
A set of matching outer garments, especially one consisting of a coat with trousers or a skirt, often worn on formal occasions.
Case
An instance or occurrence of a particular kind or category
A case of mistaken identity.
Suit
(Slang)A person, especially an executive, who wears one of these garments at work.
Case
An occurrence of a disease or disorder
A mild case of flu.
Suit
An outfit worn for a special activity
A diving suit.
A running suit.
Case
A set of circumstances or a state of affairs; a situation
It may rain, in which case the hike will be canceled.
Suit
A group of things used together; a set or collection
A suit of sails.
A suit of tools.
Case
Actual fact; reality
We suspected the walls were hollow, and this proved to be the case.
Suit
(Games)Any of the four sets of 13 playing cards (clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades) in a standard deck, the members of which bear the same marks.
Case
A question or problem; a matter
It is simply a case of honor.
Suit
Attendance required of a vassal at his feudal lord's court or manor.
Case
A situation that requires investigation, especially by a formal or official body.
Suit
(Law)A lawsuit.
Case
An action or a suit or just grounds for an action.
Suit
The act or an instance of courting a woman; courtship
She was inclined to accept his suit.
Case
The facts or evidence offered in support of a claim.
Suit
To meet the requirements of; fit
This candidate does not suit our qualifications.
Case
A set of reasons or supporting facts; an argument
Presented a good case for changing the law.
Suit
To make appropriate or suitable; adapt
Builders who suit the house to the owner's specifications.
Case
A person being assisted, treated, or studied, as by a physician, lawyer, or social worker.
Suit
To be appropriate for; befit
A color that suits you.
Case
(Informal) A peculiar or eccentric person; a character.
Suit
To please; satisfy
A choice that suits us all.
Case
In traditional grammar, a distinct form of a noun, pronoun, or modifier that is used to express one or more particular syntactic relationships to other words in a sentence.
Suit
To provide with clothing; dress
The NCOs suited the recruits in green uniforms.
Case
Case In some varieties of generative grammar, the thematic or semantic role of a noun phrase as represented abstractly but not necessarily indicated overtly in surface structure. In such frameworks, nouns in English have Case even in the absence of inflectional case endings.
Suit
To be suitable or acceptable.
Case
A container; a receptacle
A jewelry case.
Meat-filled cases of dough.
Suit
To be in accord; agree or match.
Case
A container with its contents.
Suit
A set of clothes to be worn together, now especially a man's matching jacket and trousers (also business suit or lounge suit), or a similar outfit for a woman.
Nick hired a navy-blue suit for the wedding.
Case
A decorative or protective covering or cover.
Suit
(by extension) A garment or set of garments suitable and/or required for a given task or activity: space suit, boiler suit, protective suit, swimsuit.
Case
A set or pair
A case of pistols.
Suit
A person who wears matching jacket and trousers, especially a boss or a supervisor.
Be sure to keep your nose to the grindstone today; the suits are making a "surprise" visit to this department.
Case
The frame or framework of a window, door, or stairway.
Suit
A full set of armour.
Case
The surface or outer layer of a metal alloy.
Suit
(legal) The attempt to gain an end by legal process; a process instituted in a court of law for the recovery of a right or claim; a lawsuit.
If you take my advice, you'll file a suit against him immediately.
Case
A shallow compartmented tray for storing type or type matrices.
Suit
Petition, request, entreaty.
Case
The form of a written, printed, or keyed letter that distinguishes it as being lowercase or uppercase
Typed the password using the wrong case.
Suit
The act of following or pursuing; pursuit, chase.
Case
To put into or cover with a case; encase.
Suit
Pursuit of a love-interest; wooing, courtship.
Case
(Slang) To examine carefully, as in planning a crime
Cased the bank before robbing it.
Suit
(obsolete) The act of suing; the pursuit of a particular object or goal.
Case
An actual event, situation, or fact.
For a change, in this case, he was telling the truth.
It is not the case that every unfamiliar phrase is an idiom.
In case of fire, break glass. [sign on fire extinguisher holder in public space]
Suit
The full set of sails required for a ship.
Case
A given condition or state.
Suit
(card games) Each of the sets of a pack of cards distinguished by color and/or specific emblems, such as the spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs of traditional Anglo, Hispanic, and French playing cards.
Case
A piece of work, specifically defined within a profession.
It was one of the detective's easiest cases.
Social workers should work on a maximum of forty active cases.
The doctor told us of an interesting case he had treated that morning.
Suit
(obsolete) Regular order; succession.
Every five and thirty years the same kind and suit of weather comes again.
Case
(academia) An instance or event as a topic of study.
The teaching consists of theory lessons and case studies.
Suit
(archaic) A company of attendants or followers; a retinue.
Case
(legal) A legal proceeding, lawsuit.
Suit
(archaic) A group of similar or related objects or items considered as a whole; a suite (of rooms etc.)
Case
(grammar) A specific inflection of a word (particularly a noun, pronoun, or adjective) depending on its function in the sentence.
The accusative case canonically indicates a direct object.
Latin has six cases, and remnants of a seventh.
Suit
(transitive) To make proper or suitable; to adapt or fit.
Case
Grammatical cases and their meanings taken either as a topic in general or within a specific language.
Jane has been studying case in Caucasian languages.
Latin is a language that employs case.
Suit
To be suitable or apt for one's image.
The ripped jeans didn't suit her elegant image.
That new top suits you. Where did you buy it?
Case
(medicine) An instance of a specific condition or set of symptoms.
There were another five cases reported overnight.
Suit
(transitive) To be appropriate or apt for.
The nickname "Bullet" suits her, since she is a fast runner.
Case
(programming) A section of code representing one of the actions of a conditional switch.
Suit
To dress; to clothe.
Case
A box that contains or can contain a number of identical items of manufacture.
Suit
To please; to make content; to fit one's taste.
He is well suited with his place.
My new job suits me, as I work fewer hours and don't have to commute so much.
Case
A box, sheath, or covering generally.
A case for spectacles; the case of a watch
Suit
(intransitive) To agree; to be fitted; to correspond (usually followed by to, archaically also followed by with)
Case
A piece of luggage that can be used to transport an apparatus such as a sewing machine.
Suit
The act of following or pursuing, as game; pursuit.
Case
An enclosing frame or casing.
A door case; a window case
Suit
The act of suing; the process by which one endeavors to gain an end or an object; an attempt to attain a certain result; pursuit; endeavor.
Thenceforth the suit of earthly conquest shone.
Case
A suitcase.
Suit
The act of wooing in love; the solicitation of a woman in marriage; courtship.
Rebate your loves, each rival suit suspend,Till this funereal web my labors end.
Case
A piece of furniture, constructed partially of transparent glass or plastic, within which items can be displayed.
Suit
The attempt to gain an end by legal process; an action or process for the recovery of a right or claim; legal application to a court for justice; prosecution of right before any tribunal; as, a civil suit; a criminal suit; a suit in chancery.
I arrest thee at the suit of Count Orsino.
In England the several suits, or remedial instruments of justice, are distinguished into three kinds - actions personal, real, and mixed.
Case
The outer covering or framework of a piece of apparatus such as a computer.
Suit
That which follows as a retinue; a company of attendants or followers; the assembly of persons who attend upon a prince, magistrate, or other person of distinction; - often written suite, and pronounced swēt.
Case
A shallow tray divided into compartments or "boxes" for holding type, traditionally arranged in sets of two, the "upper case" (containing capitals, small capitals, accented) and "lower case" (small letters, figures, punctuation marks, quadrats, and spaces).
Suit
Things that follow in a series or succession; the individual objects, collectively considered, which constitute a series, as of rooms, buildings, compositions, etc.; - often written suite, and pronounced swēt.
Case
The nature of a piece of alphabetic type, whether a “capital” (upper case) or “small” (lower case) letter.
Suit
A number of things used together, and generally necessary to be united in order to answer their purpose; a number of things ordinarily classed or used together; a set; as, a suit of curtains; a suit of armor; a suit of clothes; a three-piece business suit.
Case
(poker slang) Four of a kind.
Suit
One of the four sets of cards which constitute a pack; - each set consisting of thirteen cards bearing a particular emblem, as hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds; also, the members of each such suit held by a player in certain games, such as bridge; as, hearts were her long suit.
To deal and shuffle, to divide and sortHer mingled suits and sequences.
Case
(US) A unit of liquid measure used to measure sales in the beverage industry, equivalent to 192 fluid ounces.
Suit
Regular order; succession.
Every five and thirty years the same kind and suit of weather comes again.
Case
(mining) A small fissure which admits water into the workings.
Suit
Someone who dresses in a business suit, as contrasted with more informal attire;
Case
A thin layer of harder metal on the surface of an object whose deeper metal is allowed to remain soft.
Suit
To fit; to adapt; to make proper or suitable; as, to suit the action to the word.
Case
A cardboard box that holds (usually 24) beer bottles or cans.
Suit
To be fitted to; to accord with; to become; to befit.
Ill suits his cloth the praise of railing well.
Raise her notes to that sublime degreeWhich suits song of piety and thee.
Case
A counterfeit crown five-shilling coin.
Suit
To dress; to clothe.
So went he suited to his watery tomb.
Case
(obsolete) to propose hypothetical cases
Suit
To please; to make content; as, he is well suited with his place; to suit one's taste.
Case
(transitive) To place (an item or items of manufacture) into a box, as in preparation for shipment.
Suit
To agree; to accord; to be fitted; to correspond; - usually followed by with or to.
The place itself was suiting to his care.
Give me not an officeThat suits with me so ill.
Case
(transitive) To cover or protect with, or as if with, a case; to enclose.
Suit
A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy;
The family brought suit against the landlord
Case
To survey (a building or other location) surreptitiously, as in preparation for a robbery.
Suit
A set of garments (usually including a jacket and trousers or skirt) for outerwear all of the same fabric and color;
They buried him in his best suit
Case
(poker slang) The last remaining card of a particular rank.
He drew the case eight!
Suit
Playing card in any of four sets of 13 cards in a pack; each set has its own symbol and color;
A flush is five cards in the same suit
In bridge you must follow suit
What suit is trumps?
Case
A box, sheath, or covering; as, a case for holding goods; a case for spectacles; the case of a watch; the case (capsule) of a cartridge; a case (cover) for a book.
Suit
A businessman dressed in a business suit;
All the suits care about is the bottom line
Case
A box and its contents; the quantity contained in a box; as, a case of goods; a case of instruments.
Suit
A man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage);
Its was a brief and intense courtship
Case
A shallow tray divided into compartments or "boxes" for holding type.
Suit
A petition or appeal made to a person of superior status or rank
Case
An inclosing frame; a casing; as, a door case; a window case.
Suit
Be agreeable or acceptable to;
This suits my needs
Case
A small fissure which admits water to the workings.
Suit
Be agreeable or acceptable;
This time suits me
Case
Chance; accident; hap; opportunity.
By aventure, or sort, or cas.
Suit
Accord or comport with;
This kind of behavior does not suit a young woman!
Case
That which befalls, comes, or happens; an event; an instance; a circumstance, or all the circumstances; condition; state of things; affair; as, a strange case; a case of injustice; the case of the Indian tribes.
In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge.
If the case of the man be so with his wife.
And when a lady's in the caseYou know all other things give place.
You think this madness but a common case.
I am in case to justle a constable,
Suit
Enhance the appearance of;
Mourning becomes Electra
This behavior doesn't suit you!
Case
A patient under treatment; an instance of sickness or injury; as, ten cases of fever; also, the history of a disease or injury.
A proper remedy in hypochondriacal cases.
Case
The matters of fact or conditions involved in a suit, as distinguished from the questions of law; a suit or action at law; a cause.
Let us consider the reason of the case, for nothing is law that is not reason.
Not one case in the reports of our courts.
Case
One of the forms, or the inflections or changes of form, of a noun, pronoun, or adjective, which indicate its relation to other words, and in the aggregate constitute its declension; the relation which a noun or pronoun sustains to some other word.
Case is properly a falling off from the nominative or first state of word; the name for which, however, is now, by extension of its signification, applied also to the nominative.
Case
To cover or protect with, or as with, a case; to inclose.
The man who, cased in steel, had passed whole days and nights in the saddle.
Case
To strip the skin from; as, to case a box.
Case
To propose hypothetical cases.
Case
A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy;
The family brought suit against the landlord
Case
An occurrence of something;
It was a case of bad judgment
Another instance occurred yesterday
But there is always the famous example of the Smiths
Case
A special set of circumstances;
In that event, the first possibility is excluded
It may rain in which case the picnic will be canceled
Case
A problem requiring investigation;
Perry Mason solved the case of the missing heir
Case
The actual state of things;
That was not the case
Case
A statement of facts and reasons used to support an argument;
He stated his case clearly
Case
A portable container for carrying several objects;
The musicians left their instrument cases backstage
Case
A person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation;
The subjects for this investigation were selected randomly
The cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities
Case
A person requiring professional services;
A typical case was the suburban housewife described by a marriage counselor
Case
The quantity contained in a case
Case
A glass container used to store and display items in a shop or museum or home
Case
A specific state of mind that is temporary;
A case of the jitters
Case
Nouns or pronouns or adjectives (often marked by inflection) related in some way to other words in a sentence
Case
The housing or outer covering of something;
The clock has a walnut case
Case
A person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities);
A real character
A strange character
A friendly eccentric
The capable type
A mental case
Case
An enveloping structure or covering enclosing an animal or plant organ or part
Case
The enclosing frame around a door or window opening;
The casings had rotted away and had to be replaced
Case
Bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow;
The burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase
Case
Look over, usually with the intention to rob;
They men cased the housed
Case
Enclose in, or as if in, a case;
My feet were encased in mud
Common Curiosities
What is a suit in legal terms?
A suit is a legal action brought in a civil court by an individual or entity aiming to resolve a dispute or claim against another party.
What are common objectives of filing a suit?
Common objectives include seeking financial compensation, enforcement of rights, or specific actions from the opposing party.
Who can initiate a suit?
A suit can be initiated by any individual, group, or entity who claims to have incurred losses or damages due to another's actions.
How does a case differ from a suit?
A case is a broader term encompassing all legal proceedings, including civil suits and criminal trials, whereas a suit specifically refers to civil legal actions.
Can a criminal trial be considered a suit?
No, a criminal trial is not considered a suit; it is categorized under cases, as suits are confined to civil court disputes.
What is the outcome of a suit?
The outcome can include financial restitution, specific performance, or other forms of injunctive relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Are suits public record?
Yes, suits are typically part of the public record, although certain documents or proceedings may be sealed under specific circumstances.
What roles do prosecutors play in cases?
In criminal cases, prosecutors represent the state or government, aiming to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Can cases lead to imprisonment?
Yes, but only criminal cases can result in imprisonment as a potential outcome, unlike civil suits.
How do juries function in cases?
Juries may be involved in both civil and criminal cases to determine the outcome based on evidence presented during the trial.
Can a suit be settled out of court?
Yes, many suits are settled out of court through negotiation or mediation, avoiding the need for a trial.
What is a civil case?
A civil case involves legal disputes between individuals or entities, often seeking compensation or specific actions, similar to a suit.
What is the significance of case law?
Case law comprises past judicial decisions that guide future cases, establishing precedents in legal reasoning and outcomes.
How are criminal cases initiated?
Criminal cases are usually initiated by the government following an investigation into unlawful activity, leading to charges against the accused.
Can the outcome of a case be appealed?
Yes, both civil and criminal case outcomes can be appealed to a higher court if there are grounds to challenge the decision or procedural errors.
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Maham Liaqat
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Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
