Most adults at some time will become involved in a dispute with another party. It might be a contractor who damaged your home, a roofer who did not fix a leak or a driver who rear-ended you while you were stopped at a traffic light. Most of these disputes will be resolved without involving lawyers or the court system. Some, however, will escalate into civil lawsuits.
Civil litigation, as opposed to a criminal prosecution, involves a dispute between two or more individuals or businesses, usually over money. Breach of contract, and personal injury disputes are examples of disputes that, if tried in court, are referred to as "civil litigation" matters.