Why is a lawsuit a &quot;suit&quot;?
<p>Where does the term &quot;law suit&quot; for a legal case come from? It seems to perhaps only be used to refer to civil cases, however. Also, is it a purely American (USA) term or does it also find use elsewhere?</p>

<p>The historical root is Old French sieute, sivre meaning &quot;follow, pursue&quot;. You pursue your defendant in court. This is an ordinary legal term in post-Norman England. The root is also invoked every time the government pro<em>secu</em>tes a person for a crime. The expression &quot;law suit&quot; is more modern, being a rearrangement of &quot;suit at law&quot;. An early attestation in the legal sense is (1325) <em>Statutes of Realm (Rawl. B.520) (2011) v. 6</em></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Ant ȝif a ne cometh noȝt, þanne a sullen ben iiuged ase for ateint,
ant sullen ȝelde duble, þoru þe <em>siwte</em> of þe king, to hoem þat
habbeth ihaued þene harm.</p>
</blockquote>

legal-terms