9.2 key concepts of civil law

Breach

•  the breaking of or the failure to fulfil or comply with a duty or obligation

Causation

• the direct relationship between one event and another, where event 1 was the reason event 2 happened, and 2 would not have happened by itself without 1

Loss

a type of harm or damage suffered by a person. Can involve both economic and non economic loss

Limitation of actions

the restriction on bringing a civil law claim after the allocated time.

The burden of proof

• the responsibility of a party to prove a case. Usually rests with the party who initiates the action.

Counter claim

• a separate claim made by the defendant in response to the prosecutions claim

Standard of proof

•  the degree or extent to which a case must be proved in court

Balance of probabilities

• standard of proof in civil disputes. This requires the plaintiff to establish that it is more then probable than not that the claim is true.