QUESTION

Is civil law the specific type of case or area of law?

Asked on Aug 19th, 2012 on Personal Injury - New Jersey
More details to this question:
N/A
Report Abuse

31 ANSWERS

Child Custody Attorney serving Malvern, AR at Law Office of Gregory Crain
Update Your Profile
Yes.
Answered on May 28th, 2013 at 10:11 PM

Report Abuse
Appellate Attorney serving Grosse Pointe Farms, MI at Musilli Brennan Associates, PLLC
Update Your Profile
No.
Answered on May 24th, 2013 at 2:32 AM

Report Abuse
William C. Gosnell
Yes.
Answered on May 24th, 2013 at 2:27 AM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving Pacific, MO at Melvin G. Franke
Update Your Profile
It is an area of law.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:26 PM

Report Abuse
Ronald A. Steinberg
Civil law is the opposite of criminal law.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:26 PM

Report Abuse
Civil law is the redress of wrongs through compensation (MONEY).
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:25 PM

Report Abuse
It is an area of law. Think of law as Criminal and Civil. Within Civil are such things as negligence, contracts, wills, probate, guardianship and the like.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:24 PM

Report Abuse
Civil Litigation Attorney serving Gadsden, AL at Ford, Howard & Cornett, P.C.
Update Your Profile
Civil law covers the broad range of non-criminal law. Some states also define civil law to exclude domestic relations matters.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:23 PM

Report Abuse
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney serving Syracuse, NY at Andrew T. Velonis, P.C.
Update Your Profile
I'm glad you asked this question because many people don't understand this terminology. The area of law known as "civil" law means a private right of action, as contrasted with criminal law. So, if you have a claim against someone for negligence, divorce or breach of contract, that's a civil case. If you are charged by the district attorney for violating the law, that's criminal. Sometimes, they overlap, for example an assault could result in both criminal charges and a civil lawsuit. Then, there's the term "civil rights case". That would be a situation in which you claim that your rights were violated by a civil authority, such as false arrest. That means that a police brutality case could possibly involve all three.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:23 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving Charlotte, NC at Paul Whitfield and Associates P.A.
Update Your Profile
Civil is a term usually used to describe most every aspect of the law which is not criminal.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:22 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving Indianapolis, IN at Bernard Huff
Update Your Profile
Civil law is an area of law which differs from the criminal law area which usually entails purnishment and/or fines.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:22 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury — Plaintiff Attorney serving Taylor, MI at Downriver Injury & Auto Law
Update Your Profile
Its an area of law composed of cases and statutes.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:21 PM

Report Abuse
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Montrose, NY at Law Office of Jared Altman
Update Your Profile
Area of law and a broad category of cases.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:21 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving North Wales, PA
4 Awards
Personal Injury is a specific type of civil law.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:20 PM

Report Abuse
Tax Attorney serving North Smithfield, RI at The Law Offices of Mark L. Smith
Update Your Profile
Area of the law, like criminal law is an area of the law.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:20 PM

Report Abuse
Civil law is the law for collecting money; it's about money judgement mostly.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:20 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving Beverly Hills, CA
Partner at Engelman Law, APC
Civil law refers to litigation-based law that is not criminal in nature.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:20 PM

Report Abuse
Criminal Defense Attorney serving Anderson, SC at The David F. Stoddard Law Firm
Update Your Profile
Civil Law is more an "area of law". There are various categories of law under the category of Civil Law, and these areas could also be described as areas of law rather than specific types . The two main categories under Civil law are Contract Law and Tort law (which includes personal injury law, including negligence, strict liability for defective products, and premises liability, among other things). There are other types of Civil Cases, such as employment discrimination, Civil Rights, other constitutional violations, etc. The other broad category of law is Criminal law. There is also Family law, which is a type of Civil law, but is often put in its own category because it often is litigated in its own court apart from Criminal Court and Civil Court. There is also Administrative Law, which includes workers compensation, Social Security Disability, Veterans Benefits, Licensing Disputes, among other things. Moreover, these areas often overlap. For example, most Administrative Law cases can be appealed into Civil Court, which then become Civil Cases. There are procedures to challenge criminal convictions in Civil Court proceedings (such as Post Conviction Release and Habeas Corpus). For this reason, the Law is sometimes referred to as a "seamless web".
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:19 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving St. Louis, MO at The S.E. Farris Law Firm
Update Your Profile
Civil law is a generic term that refers to anything but criminal matters. Family law, patent law, and just about everything else you can think of that is not a criminal matter falls under that heading.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:19 PM

Report Abuse
Thomas Edward Gates
Law is first broken down to either 1) criminal or 2) civil. In civil law there are many areas of practices: theft, estate planning, business, etc. Criminal law is broken into areas of the law: traffic, theft, etc.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:18 PM

Report Abuse
Criminal Law Attorney serving San Diego, CA
That is a good question. CIVIL LAW is a particular type of law in opposed to Criminal law. For example, if you are injured and no one committed a crime against you but it was their carelessness that caused your injury you would sue them in CIVIL COURT. If someone robbed or assaulted you and you were injured, the State through the County's District Attorney would prosecute the offended in CRIMINAL COURT.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:17 PM

Report Abuse
Motor Vehicle Accidents Attorney serving Lincoln, NE at Lapin Law Offices
Update Your Profile
"Civil law" is an area of law just as is criminal law. Civil law usually involves disputes between people, companies or other entities. It includes cases involving personal injuries, contracts, agreements and many types of cases. Usually, one side either wants money for being "wronged" or "injured" by the other side or wants an agreement enforced or terminated.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:17 PM

Report Abuse
Employment Law Attorney serving Beverly Hills, CA at Dordick Law Corporation
Update Your Profile
Well basically, you have criminal law and civil law. Civil law is not a specific type of case, it?s a category that a case would fall under. When something happens it usually falls into one of the two categories, criminal or civil, but sometimes it can be both. If X punches you in the face, X can be charged criminally for battery as it is a crime against society. You also can sue X civilly for damages because battery is an intentional tort under civil law.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:16 PM

Report Abuse
Brain Injury Attorney serving Baton Rouge, LA at The Lucky Law Firm, PLC
Update Your Profile
There are generally two types of law: civil law and criminal law. Civil law is anything not criminal.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:14 PM

Report Abuse
Family Attorney serving Arlington, TX at The Nwokoye Law Firm
Update Your Profile
Civil law is an area of law practice.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:14 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving Indian Wells, CA at Barry Regar A Professional Law Corporation
Update Your Profile
Civil means not Criminal. Personal injury, Contract Law, Corporate Law are examples.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:14 PM

Report Abuse
Personal Injury Attorney serving Chicago, IL
Civil law means non-criminal law, which covers many areas of the law.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:13 PM

Report Abuse
Criminal Law Attorney serving Worcester, MA at Gregory Casale, Attorney at Law
Update Your Profile
The differences between civil and criminal are several but the most important is that civil damages are monetary. Criminal penalties, while sometimes are resolved with money or restitution, more often involve jail, or at least the possibility of jail. Other distinctions include that criminal charges are supported by statute whereas civil decisions usually turn on prior case law (precedent) or the "what would an ordinary person do in a similar situation standard". There are different court and procedural rules and several other distinctions, but the primary distinction is jail versus monetary award upon an adverse decision.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:13 PM

Report Abuse
Administrative Law Attorney serving Dowagiac, MI at Jane Phillipson Wilson, Attorney at Law
Update Your Profile
Generally speaking, civil law involves disputes between private parties, rather than the criminal courts. Parties can seek both money and/or injunctive relief.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:12 PM

Report Abuse
General Attorney serving Portland, OR at Lehner & Rodrigues, PC
Update Your Profile
The term civil law is generally used to make a distinction from criminal law. Civil law deals with such things as personal injury claims, contracts etc which do not involve crimes.
Answered on Aug 22nd, 2012 at 12:12 PM

Report Abuse
Bankruptcy Law Attorney serving Livingston, NJ
2 Awards
Division between criminal and civil, then civil divides down further between civil chancery and civil which could be divided again by monetary jurisdiction.
Answered on Aug 21st, 2012 at 11:20 AM

Report Abuse

Ask a Lawyer

Consumers can use this platform to pose legal questions to real lawyers and receive free insights.

Participating legal professionals get the opportunity to speak directly with people who may need their services, as well as enhance their standing in the Lawyers.com community.

0 out of 150 characters