Suit vs. Petition: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 26, 2023
Suit is a legal action by one party against another in a court of law. Petition is a formal request or application, often in writing, to a court or authority.
Key Differences
A suit is a formal legal process initiated by an individual, known as the plaintiff, against another party, the defendant, in a court of law to seek a remedy for a grievance. Conversely, a petition is a formal request or appeal, typically in writing, submitted to an authority or court seeking a specific judicial action or order.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
In a suit, the focus is on resolving disputes between parties over legal rights or obligations, often involving monetary compensation or specific performance. A petition, however, is more about requesting a change or a decision from an authority, which may not necessarily involve a dispute between two parties.
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Dec 26, 2023
The outcome of a suit is typically a judgment or decree, which is binding on the parties involved, and may include enforcement actions. In contrast, the outcome of a petition may result in an order or decision, but not always a binding judgment, and may be more advisory or directive in nature.
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Dec 26, 2023
The process of a suit involves formal procedures including filing of pleadings, discovery, trial, and potentially appeals. Petitions, on the other hand, might not go through such extensive processes and often involve submitting the request and awaiting a decision from the relevant authority.
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Dec 26, 2023
Suits are generally adversarial, involving direct conflict between the plaintiff and defendant. Petitions, however, are usually one-sided appeals where the petitioner seeks action or relief from a higher authority without necessarily having a direct adversary.
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Dec 26, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Outcome
Judgment or decree, legally binding.
Order or decision, not always binding.
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Process
Involves pleadings, trial, appeals.
Submission of request, awaiting decision.
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Objective
To resolve disputes, seek remedy.
To request a change or decision.
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Adversarial Element
Involves direct conflict between parties.
One-sided appeal to authority.
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Suit and Petition Definitions
Suit
A lawsuit or litigation in a court.
The company filed a suit against the contractor for breach of contract.
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Dec 26, 2023
Petition
A formal application made to a court or judge for an order or decree.
The lawyer filed a petition for bankruptcy on behalf of her client.
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Dec 26, 2023
Petition
An appeal or plea to someone in power or authority.
The activists submitted a petition to the mayor for environmental reforms.
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Suit
A set of matching outer garments, especially one consisting of a coat with trousers or a skirt, often worn on formal occasions.
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Petition
A formal written request, often signed by many people, appealing to authority about a particular cause.
They launched a petition against the new zoning laws.
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Dec 26, 2023
Suit
(Slang)A person, especially an executive, who wears one of these garments at work.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
An earnest or humble request.
He made a petition to the committee for additional funding.
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Dec 26, 2023
Petition
A solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.
The congregation raised a petition for peace during the service.
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Dec 26, 2023
Suit
A group of things used together; a set or collection
A suit of sails.
A suit of tools.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A solemn supplication or request, especially to a superior authority; an entreaty.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(Games)Any of the four sets of 13 playing cards (clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades) in a standard deck, the members of which bear the same marks.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A formal written document requesting a right or benefit from a person or group in authority.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A formal written application seeking a court's intervention and action on a matter
A petition for review of a previous court's decision.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A pleading initiating a legal case in some civil courts
A bankruptcy petition.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
The act or an instance of courting a woman; courtship
She was inclined to accept his suit.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
To meet the requirements of; fit
This candidate does not suit our qualifications.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
To make appropriate or suitable; adapt
Builders who suit the house to the owner's specifications.
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Petition
To ask for by petition; request formally
Petitioned that the sentence be reduced.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A formal, written request made to an official person or organized body, often containing many signatures.
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Suit
To provide with clothing; dress
The NCOs suited the recruits in green uniforms.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A compilation of signatures built in order to exert moral authority in support of a specific cause.
We're looking to get 10,000 people to sign the petition to have the bird colony given legal protection.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A set of clothes to be worn together, now especially a man's matching jacket and trousers (also business suit or lounge suit), or a similar outfit for a woman.
Nick hired a navy-blue suit for the wedding.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
(transitive) To make a request to, commonly in written form.
The villagers petitioned the council to demolish the dangerous building.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(by extension) A garment or set of garments suitable and/or required for a given task or activity: space suit, boiler suit, protective suit, swimsuit.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer.
A house of prayer and petition for thy people.
This last petition heard of all her prayer.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A person who wears matching jacket and trousers, especially a boss or a supervisor.
Be sure to keep your nose to the grindstone today; the suits are making a "surprise" visit to this department.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it; specifically (Law), a supplication to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; - in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to petition the governor.
You have . . . petitioned all the gods for my prosperity.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(legal) The attempt to gain an end by legal process; a process instituted in a court of law for the recovery of a right or claim; a lawsuit.
If you take my advice, you'll file a suit against him immediately.
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Oct 19, 2023
Petition
A formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority
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Petition
Write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(obsolete) The act of suing; the pursuit of a particular object or goal.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(card games) Each of the sets of a pack of cards distinguished by color and/or specific emblems, such as the spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs of traditional Anglo, Hispanic, and French playing cards.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(obsolete) Regular order; succession.
Every five and thirty years the same kind and suit of weather comes again.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(archaic) A group of similar or related objects or items considered as a whole; a suite (of rooms etc.)
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Suit
To be suitable or apt for one's image.
The ripped jeans didn't suit her elegant image.
That new top suits you. Where did you buy it?
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(transitive) To be appropriate or apt for.
The nickname "Bullet" suits her, since she is a fast runner.
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Suit
To please; to make content; to fit one's taste.
He is well suited with his place.
My new job suits me, as I work fewer hours and don't have to commute so much.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
(intransitive) To agree; to be fitted; to correspond (usually followed by to, archaically also followed by with)
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
The act of suing; the process by which one endeavors to gain an end or an object; an attempt to attain a certain result; pursuit; endeavor.
Thenceforth the suit of earthly conquest shone.
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Suit
The act of wooing in love; the solicitation of a woman in marriage; courtship.
Rebate your loves, each rival suit suspend,Till this funereal web my labors end.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
The attempt to gain an end by legal process; an action or process for the recovery of a right or claim; legal application to a court for justice; prosecution of right before any tribunal; as, a civil suit; a criminal suit; a suit in chancery.
I arrest thee at the suit of Count Orsino.
In England the several suits, or remedial instruments of justice, are distinguished into three kinds - actions personal, real, and mixed.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
That which follows as a retinue; a company of attendants or followers; the assembly of persons who attend upon a prince, magistrate, or other person of distinction; - often written suite, and pronounced swēt.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
Things that follow in a series or succession; the individual objects, collectively considered, which constitute a series, as of rooms, buildings, compositions, etc.; - often written suite, and pronounced swēt.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A number of things used together, and generally necessary to be united in order to answer their purpose; a number of things ordinarily classed or used together; a set; as, a suit of curtains; a suit of armor; a suit of clothes; a three-piece business suit.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
One of the four sets of cards which constitute a pack; - each set consisting of thirteen cards bearing a particular emblem, as hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds; also, the members of each such suit held by a player in certain games, such as bridge; as, hearts were her long suit.
To deal and shuffle, to divide and sortHer mingled suits and sequences.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
Regular order; succession.
Every five and thirty years the same kind and suit of weather comes again.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
Someone who dresses in a business suit, as contrasted with more informal attire;
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Suit
To fit; to adapt; to make proper or suitable; as, to suit the action to the word.
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Suit
To be fitted to; to accord with; to become; to befit.
Ill suits his cloth the praise of railing well.
Raise her notes to that sublime degreeWhich suits song of piety and thee.
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Suit
To please; to make content; as, he is well suited with his place; to suit one's taste.
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Suit
To agree; to accord; to be fitted; to correspond; - usually followed by with or to.
The place itself was suiting to his care.
Give me not an officeThat suits with me so ill.
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy;
The family brought suit against the landlord
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A set of garments (usually including a jacket and trousers or skirt) for outerwear all of the same fabric and color;
They buried him in his best suit
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
Playing card in any of four sets of 13 cards in a pack; each set has its own symbol and color;
A flush is five cards in the same suit
In bridge you must follow suit
What suit is trumps?
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A businessman dressed in a business suit;
All the suits care about is the bottom line
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage);
Its was a brief and intense courtship
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
Accord or comport with;
This kind of behavior does not suit a young woman!
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
Enhance the appearance of;
Mourning becomes Electra
This behavior doesn't suit you!
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Oct 19, 2023
Suit
A set of garments made from the same cloth, typically a jacket and trousers or a jacket and skirt.
He wore a navy blue suit to the interview.
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Dec 26, 2023
Suit
Any of the categories, such as hearts or clubs, into which cards are divided.
She played a card from the suit of diamonds.
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Dec 26, 2023
Suit
To meet the desires, expectations, or needs of someone.
The movie's ending didn't suit the audience's expectations.
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Dec 26, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What does "suit" mean in legal terms?
In legal terms, a "suit" refers to a lawsuit or legal action taken by one party against another.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can "suit" refer to clothing?
Yes, "suit" can also refer to a set of matching clothes, typically a jacket and trousers or a skirt, often worn for formal occasions.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is "suit" used in any idiomatic expressions?
Yes, for example, "follow suit" means to do the same thing as someone else.
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Dec 26, 2023
How is "suit" used in playing cards?
In playing cards, a "suit" refers to one of the categories into which the cards are divided, like hearts or spades.
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Dec 26, 2023
What are common reasons for a petition?
Common reasons include social or political issues, requesting changes in policy, or appealing for specific actions by authorities.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does "suit" have any synonyms?
In the legal context, synonyms include "lawsuit," "case," or "action." In fashion, it could be "ensemble" or "outfit."
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Dec 26, 2023
Is "suit" ever used in a romantic context?
Yes, "suit" can refer to courtship, as in "paying suit" to someone.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can "suit" be a verb?
Yes, as a verb, "suit" means to be appropriate or acceptable, as in "This time suits me."
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Dec 26, 2023
Can "suit" have a plural form?
Yes, "suits" can refer to multiple lawsuits or sets of clothing.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can anyone start a petition?
Yes, individuals or groups can initiate a petition on various platforms or through official channels.
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Dec 26, 2023
How is a petition different from a lawsuit?
A petition is a request for change or action, while a lawsuit is a legal case brought in court against someone.
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Dec 26, 2023
What makes a petition successful?
Success often depends on clear objectives, widespread support, and attention from decision-makers or the public.
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Dec 26, 2023
What is a "suit of armor"?
A "suit of armor" is a set of metal coverings worn in the past for protection in battle.
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Dec 26, 2023
What does "suit yourself" mean?
It's an informal way of saying do whatever you think is best, though it can sometimes imply indifference or frustration.
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Dec 26, 2023
What is a petition?
A petition is a formal written request, typically signed by many people, appealing to authority about a particular cause.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can "petition" be a verb?
Yes, "to petition" means to make a formal request or appeal.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is an online petition effective?
Effectiveness varies, but online petitions can raise awareness and sometimes influence decision-makers.
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Dec 26, 2023
Do petitions require a certain number of signatures?
Some formal petitions, especially those submitted to government bodies, may require a minimum number of signatures.
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Dec 26, 2023
What happens after a petition is submitted?
It depends on the context; it may be reviewed by the relevant authority, lead to discussions, or result in no immediate action.
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Dec 26, 2023
What is a "petition of right"?
Historically, this was a legal document requesting relief or asserting a right against the Crown.
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Dec 26, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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