Definition of Civil

In its original sense, this word means pertaining or appropriate to a member of a civitas or free political community; natural or proper to a citizen. Also, relating to the community or to the policy and government of the citizens and subjects of a state. In the language of the law, it has various significations. In contradistinction to' barbarous or savage, it indicates a state of society reduced to order and regular government; thus, we speak of civil life, civil society, civil government, and civil liberty. In contradistinction to criminal, it indicates the private rights and remedies of men, as members of the community, in contrast to those which are public and relate to the government; thus, we speak of civll process and criminal process, civil jurisdiction and criminal jurisdiction. It is alse used in contradistinction to military or ecclesiastical, to natural or foreign; thus, we speak of a civil station, as opposed to a mllitary or an ecclesiastical station; a civil death, as opposed to a natural death; a civil war, as opposed to a foreign wav. Story, Co.nst § 791.
—Civil responsibility. The liability to be called upon to respond to an action at law for an injury caused by a delict or crime, as opposed to criminal responsibility, or liability to be proceeded against in a criminal tribunal.
—-Civil side. When the same court has jurisdiction of both civil and Criminal matters, proceedings of the first class are often said to be on the civil side ; those of the second, on the criminal side. As to civil "Commotion," "Corporations," "Death," "Injury," "Liberty," "Obligation," "Officer," "Remedy," "Rights," and "War," see those titles.