Causes of action in civil litigation are specific claims provided by law that serve as the basis for parties to a lawsuit to recover money or property from each other—or to provide other legal or equitable relief, such as a court order requiring or prohibiting some act (injunctive relief). Examples of causes of action include breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and negligence. Causes of action (also called claims) are usually located in a state or federal statute, or in court opinions (common law).
In North Carolina, causes of action in civil litigation are the legal grounds on which a plaintiff bases their lawsuit to seek remedies such as monetary compensation, property recovery, or injunctive relief. Common causes of action include breach of contract, where one party fails to fulfill their contractual obligations; fraud, involving intentional deception for personal gain; breach of fiduciary duty, where a party violates the trust placed in them to act in another's best interest; and negligence, where a party's failure to exercise reasonable care causes harm. These claims can be found in North Carolina's General Statutes, federal statutes, or established through common law precedents set by court opinions. An attorney can help identify the appropriate cause of action based on the specific facts of a case and the applicable law.