Which area falls under the jurisdiction of civil law?
Civil law, at its heart, is about resolving disputes between individuals or organizations. Think of it as the law that governs everyday interactions and agreements. It’s different from criminal law, which deals with offences against society as a whole, like violent crime or burglary. Criminal law aims to punish offenders, often through imprisonment or fines levied by the state. Civil law, on the other hand, seeks to compensate the injured party and restore them to the position they were in before the dispute arose. So, when you consider areas that fall under civil law, you're looking for situations where one party is claiming another has wronged them in some way, usually involving money or property. A debt is a perfect example of this. If someone owes you money and refuses to pay, you can take them to civil court to recover that debt. Violent crime, burglary, and drunk and disorderly behaviour are all actions that the state prosecutes under criminal law, not issues typically resolved between private parties in a civil court.
Civil law often involves disputes over money or agreements, like owing a debt.