cause of action

noun phrase

: the grounds (such as violation of a right) that entitle a plaintiff to bring a suit

Examples of cause of action in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to Douglas Hand, a fashion lawyer and a member of the business advisory committee of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Hermès could pursue a cause of action of trade dress infringement against Walmart and the respective third-party vendors selling the Birkin dupe. —Renan Botelho, WWD, 31 Dec. 2024

Congress in a 2022 law also created a civil cause of action for victims to sue perpetrators. —Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Dec. 2024

The judge did not feel that this cause of action against Martinez applied to Ortiz and dismissed her from that portion of the lawsuit. —Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024

If rejected, the property owner would be able to file a cause of action for the court to determine their eligibility. —Madeline Armstrong | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 Aug. 2024

Additionally, The-Dream’s attorneys are looking to dismiss or strike the rape claim from the plaintiff, arguing rape is not a separate civil cause of action under California law. —Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2024

For universities, these laws provide a potential cause of action at every turn. —The New Yorker, 12 June 2024

Foster is suing Ball, MB1 Enterprises and Puma for federal and common law trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair business practices, fraud and concealment of facts and conversion (LaVar Ball is also included on the last cause of action). —Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2023

For the breach of contract cause of action against Shakes and the intentional interference with contractual relations action against Kebe, Hart requests $90,000 in compensatory damages and attorney fees each. —Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cause of action

• dissatisfaction
• overreaction
• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• distraction
• exaction
• extraction
• impaction

Legal Definition

cause of action

1

: the grounds (as violation of a right) that entitle a plaintiff to bring a suit

an amended pleading reiterating a cause of action for lost profits

—J. H. Friedenthal et al.

also : the part of a suit brought on those grounds

removed the cause of action to the district court

2

: right of action sense 1

the court, led by Justice Brennan, said Congress intended to provide a private cause of action

—National Law Journal