lawsuit Copy link Outline 1. lis, lītis, f.2. contrōversia (a dispute, whether brought before a magistrate or not) • lawsuit: 1. lis, lītis, f.: to seek to recover property by a l., bona repetere ac persequi lite et judicio, Cic. Verr. 3, 13, 32: to institute a l. about anything, l. instituere de aliqua re, Tryph. Dig. 5, 2, 22, § 3: to enter on a l. against any one, l. alicui intendere, Cic. de Or. 1, 10, 42; in aliquem inferre, id. Clu. 41, 116. See also action (V.). 2. contrōversia (a dispute, whether brought before a magistrate or not): to decide l.s., c. distrahere, Cic. Caec. 2, 6: v. dispute. (Controversia denotes a lawsuit as a controversy between parties; lis, is the legal proceeding.)