Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals and/or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim. For instance, if a car crash victim claims damages against the driver for loss or injury sustained in an accident, this will be a civil law case. Civil law courts provide a forum for deciding disputes involving torts (such as accidents, negligence, and libel), contract disputes, the probate of wills, trusts, property disputes, administrative law, commercial law, and any other private matters that involve private parties or organizations including government departments. The objectives of civil law are different from other types of law. In civil law there is the attempt to right a wrong, honor an agreement, or settle a dispute. If there is a victim, they get compensation, and the person who is the cause of the wrong pays, this being a civilized form of, or legal alternative to, revenge.
Loleta (formerly, Swauger and Swauger's Station) is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located 5.5 miles (9 km) south of Fields Landing, at an elevation of 46 feet (14 m). Loleta is 15 miles south of Eureka. Most of the residents live in a central community. There are, however two separate Native American reservations on the rural outskirts of Table Bluff, California. The ZIP Code is 95551. The community is inside area code 707. The Swauger post office opened in 1888, changed its name to Loleta in 1898. The railroad reached here in 1883. The name Swauger honored Samuel A. Swauger, local landowner.