civil trial
Court case deciding a private-law claim between parties, not punishing an offender.
A civil trial is a court case before the Danish courts in which a private-law claim or a civil dispute is decided between two or more parties. Unlike a criminal case, the purpose is not to punish an offender on behalf of the state, but to allow a claimant to have the court rule on a claim against a defendant. The parties to a civil trial may be private individuals, businesses, or a combination of the two. A civil case may also arise between a citizen and a public authority, provided the case does not have the character of a criminal case. In Danish law, the term is used synonymously with 'civil case' and 'civil (non-criminal) proceedings'.
As a rule, civil trials are heard by the district court as the court of first instance. The decision can normally be appealed to the High Court and, in special cases, to the Supreme Court. The procedure is governed by the Danish Administration of Justice Act (retsplejeloven), including its provisions on civil proceedings. In a true crime context, civil trials often appear as a supplement to criminal cases, for example when victims or surviving relatives claim damages from an offender.
