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 Tennessee, causes of action in civil litigation are the legal grounds on which a plaintiff bases their lawsuit to seek remedies such as monetary compensation, the return of property, 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 an individual fails to act in the best interest of another when obligated to do so; and negligence, where harm results from a party's failure to exercise reasonable care. These claims can be found in Tennessee state statutes, such as the Tennessee Code, or through common law, which is derived from court decisions. An attorney can help identify the specific statutes or case law that establish the cause of action for a particular case. It's important to note that each cause of action has its own set of legal elements that must be proven in court, and there are specific time limits, known as statutes of limitations, within which a lawsuit must be filed.