Legal Definitions - vexatious suit

Definition: A vexatious suit is a lawsuit that is brought maliciously and without any good reason. It is also known as a vexatious lawsuit, vexatious litigation, or vexatious proceeding. This type of lawsuit is often brought to harass or annoy the defendant, rather than to seek justice.

Example: John files a lawsuit against his neighbor, claiming that the neighbor's dog barks too loudly and disturbs his peace. However, John has no evidence to support his claim, and the neighbor's dog has never caused any problems before. This lawsuit is considered a vexatious suit because it is brought without any good reason and is intended to harass the neighbor.

Explanation: The example illustrates a vexatious suit because John has no valid reason to file a lawsuit against his neighbor. He is simply trying to harass the neighbor by making baseless claims. This type of lawsuit wastes the court's time and resources and can cause unnecessary stress and financial burden on the defendant.