民事诉讼法（Civil procedure）乃是以民事实体法上权利实现及救济为目的所制定的法律。民事诉讼如同刑事诉讼、行政诉讼一样，都是透过国家所设立的法院来进行的诉讼进程，仅是依其所针对事务的不同，而将其划归为此三大类。刑事诉讼重在国家刑罚权的实现，借由刑事诉讼对于犯罪行为进行追诉并加以处罚；行政诉讼则重在救济国家行政机关行使公权力时所产生的错误。而所谓的「民事诉讼」乃指民事法院依当事人之请求，就民事纷争事件利用国家公权力强制解决之进程。而须注意的是，民事诉讼法中规范的对象主要是针对民事诉讼的开始（起诉）、进行（审理）、终结（判决）之部分，另外就保全进程的部分亦是在民事诉讼法中加以规定，而就诉讼终结后的运行问题则是属于强制运行法的问题。

Civil procedure is the body of law that sets out the rules and standards that courts follow when adjudicating civil lawsuits (as opposed to procedures in criminal law matters). These rules govern how a lawsuit or case may be commenced, what kind of service of process (if any) is required, the types of pleadings or statements of case, motions or applications, and orders allowed in civil cases, the timing and manner of depositions and discovery or disclosure, the conduct of trials, the process for judgment, various available remedies, and how the courts and clerks must function.