structural:reformatting, structural:expansion, structural:scholar_edition, quality:correction, stylistic:style_transfer
Consent

The American legal system is an adversarial system. Civil actions cannot be initiated by third parties, nor by the court itself sua sponte, but must be filed by the aggrieved party who seeks redress, the plaintiff. Generally, the action is initiated in the jurisdiction where the event occurred, where the defendant can be served or where the parties have agreed to have the case located. The filing of a complaint or prayer for relief is a voluntary action by the plaintiff, and as a necessary corollary to this, the plaintiff impliedly consents to be bound by the judgment of the court.