Tort
A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person. The “victim” of a tort may be entitled to sue for the harm suffered. Victims of crimes may also sue in tort for the wrongs done to them. Most tort cases are handled in state court, except when the tort occurs on federal property (e.g., a military base), when the government is the defendant, or when a dispute between parties from different states falls under the federal court’s diversity jurisdiction.