Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "civil suit" yana nufin wani mataki na shari'a wanda wani mutum ko wata ƙungiya ya fara a kan wani mutum ko mahaluži a kotun da ba ta aikata laifuka ba. A cikin ƙarar farar hula, mai ƙara yana neman samun maganin shari'a, kamar lalacewar kuɗi ko takamaiman aiki, don wani lahani ko rauni da wanda ake tuhuma ya yi. Makasudin shigar da kara na farar hula yawanci shine don warware takaddama tsakanin masu zaman kansu, maimakon a hukunta masu laifi, kuma nauyin hujja yakan yi kasa fiye da na laifuka.