Legal Definitions - CL

CL stands for Civil Law.

Civil Law is a broad area of law that focuses on resolving disputes between individuals, organizations, or between individuals and organizations, rather than prosecuting criminal offenses. Its primary goal is to provide remedies for wrongs, such as compensation for damages, or to enforce rights and obligations. Unlike criminal law, which aims to punish offenders for crimes against society, civil law typically involves one party (the plaintiff) seeking to recover damages or achieve a specific resolution from another party (the defendant).

Here are some examples illustrating Civil Law:

• Example 1: Contract Dispute

  A software development company signs a contract with a client to build a custom application. The client pays an upfront fee, but the development company fails to deliver the software by the agreed-upon deadline and stops communicating. The client then files a lawsuit against the software company, seeking a refund of their payment and compensation for the business losses incurred due to the delay. This is a civil law matter because it involves a dispute over contractual obligations and financial damages between two private entities, not a criminal act.

• Example 2: Personal Injury Claim

  While walking in a grocery store, a shopper slips on a wet floor that was not marked with a warning sign, resulting in a broken arm. The shopper incurs significant medical bills and is unable to work for several weeks. The shopper's attorney files a lawsuit against the grocery store, alleging negligence and seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. This falls under civil law as it's a private dispute where one individual seeks financial compensation from another party (the store) for injuries caused by alleged negligence.

• Example 3: Property Boundary Dispute

  Two neighbors have a disagreement over the exact location of their shared property line. One neighbor believes the other has built a fence several feet onto their land, while the other insists the fence is correctly placed. Unable to resolve the issue themselves, one neighbor files a civil lawsuit asking a court to determine the legal boundary and potentially order the removal or relocation of the fence. This is a civil law case because it involves a dispute over property rights and boundaries between private individuals, seeking a legal resolution rather than criminal punishment.