A civil suit, or civil lawsuit, is a type of legal proceeding in which a victim brings a case against another, the offender, or to a third party for the causing of physical or emotional injuries. In many civil suits, the goal is to obtain monetary damages against the party who inflicted the injuries to the victim. A civil suit may be pursued even if the criminal prosecution of the individual is proven to be innocent. It can also be filed in cases where the criminal prosecution is guilty. The plaintiff is the filer of the lawsuit. The defendant in a civil suit is the person or the entity that is accused of doing something wrong to the plaintiff. A civil suit is significantly different from a criminal case because the civil suit establishes the responsibility of the defendant for the injuries that are suffered, though guilt is not the focus on the case.