file/initiate a lawsuit
idiom
: to start a process by which a court of law makes a decision to end a disagreement between people or organizations
When the newspaper refused to admit that the story was false, the actor filed/initiated a lawsuit against the publisher.
Examples of file/initiate a lawsuit in a Sentence
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One possibility that didn’t come up at the meeting: White could file a lawsuit questioning the validity of the signatures on the recall petitions.
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Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
But some other areas are more difficult to argue, Shapiro said — for example, arguing whether federal funding would need to be restored to universities nationwide in order to get relief for the states that file a lawsuit.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025
Without needing to file a lawsuit or step foot in a courtroom, the Department of Education and the Department of Treasury can seize wages, offset a portion of federal benefits (including Social Security), and intercept federal tax refunds.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
In late 2023, a group of unpaid investors decided to file a lawsuit to force Grubbs into bankruptcy and stop him from soliciting more investors for money.
—Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for file/initiate a lawsuit
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Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
But some other areas are more difficult to argue, Shapiro said — for example, arguing whether federal funding would need to be restored to universities nationwide in order to get relief for the states that file a lawsuit.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025
Without needing to file a lawsuit or step foot in a courtroom, the Department of Education and the Department of Treasury can seize wages, offset a portion of federal benefits (including Social Security), and intercept federal tax refunds.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
In late 2023, a group of unpaid investors decided to file a lawsuit to force Grubbs into bankruptcy and stop him from soliciting more investors for money.
—Alexandria Burris, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for file/initiate a lawsuit
Cite this Entry
“File/initiate a lawsuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/file%2Finitiate%20a%20lawsuit. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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