Legal actions brought in civil courts arising from commerce and trade include failures to comply with provisions of business contracts. This legal process may refer to failures to deliver according to terms, unpaid debts, fraud, or damages wrought by legal or self-appointed agents of the plaintiff. Other litigation applies to controversies involving loan transactions and insurance claims of all types including maritime. The frequency of such contract litigation is an affront to the moral self-image of society, and raises questions concerning the effectiveness of contract law as it applies both to local and international trade.