§ 902 [Definition of Civil Proceeding]

Courts handle two main types of cases: criminal cases and civil cases. A criminal case is when the government charges someone with a crime. Everything else is a civil case.

Civil cases cover a wide range, including lawsuits between people or businesses, divorces, child custody disputes, small claims cases, and many other legal matters. If you are not facing criminal charges from the government, you are most likely in a civil proceeding.