civil law

/ˌsɪvɪl lɔ/

Other forms: civil laws

Civil law is the legal branch that covers private rights, rather than crimes. If your neighbor decides to sue you because your dog barks constantly, that's a matter of civil law

In many of the world's legal systems, civil law refers to non-criminal law. Civil has a Latin root, civilis, which means "relating to a society." This system of law has to do with interactions between members of a community, and it covers divorce, property rights, contracts, and other conflicts between people. Most civil cases are tried in state courts, and if someone is convicted under civil law, they usually have to pay a fine.

Definitions of civil law

1. noun

   the legal code of ancient Rome; codified under Justinian; the basis for many modern systems of civil law
   synonyms: Justinian code, Roman law, jus civile

   type of:

   legal code

   a code of laws adopted by a state or nation
2. noun

   the body of laws established by a state or nation for its own regulation
   antonyms:

   international law

   the body of laws governing relations between nations

   types:

   case law, common law, precedent

   (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions

   legislation, statute law

   law enacted by a legislative body

   enabling legislation

   legislation that gives appropriate officials the authority to implement or enforce the law

   federal job safety law, occupational safety and health act

   a law passed by the United States Congress that created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to prevent employees from being injured or contracting diseases in the course of their employment

   type of:

   jurisprudence, law

   the collection of rules imposed by authority