When is it appropriate to sue someone?

That seems like way to broad a question to have a useful answer.

Broadly though, when all of the positives to everyone you care about (which if you’re a compassionate and benevolent member of society, hopefully includes most or all people) outweigh all of the negatives to everyone you care about. A lot happens to a lot of people when a lawsuit is filed and pursued, something a good lawyer will go into with you when you first ask them about the idea of filing a particular lawsuit. Including, usually, paying the lawyers a lot of money, and lots of time being spent, and stress imposed on many people, for a typically uncertain result.

So the desired outcome should be a lot better than all the costs, and the worst outcome should be something you’re willing to suffer.

What I consider the proper motivation to sue someone is to be made whole, or to address the inability to be made whole, when other means won’t work. Lawsuits should not, in my opinion, be a means of extracting revenge or inflicting punishment.

The world, though, is not binary as your question pre-supposes. There are alternatives to lawsuits. And it isn’t a matter of “turning the other cheek”, which is a dictum on not seeking revenge.

@RedDeerGuy1 , Do you have a specific case in mind?

I go along with @zenvelo . A lawsuit should not be a matter of eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. If someone causes you damage that is measurable in monetary terms then the person should pay for the cost of undoing the damage.

I wager, if you ask a lawyer, any time…

I have sued lots of people. This was mostly for freelance work. This is they said was great and used on live sites. They were happy and just never paid the rest of the bill.

Luckily it was local people that I could take to small claims court. And I loved to do it. Burn me for 1K… Oh my.. I love the law and I can waste so much of your time that you will never burn another person that is local.