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.
Whitethorn (formerly, Thorn) is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located 9.5 miles (15 km) southwest of Garberville, at an elevation of 1024 feet (312 m). Whitethorn shares a zip code with Shelter Cove, California. It is located along California's Lost Coast. The ZIP Code is 95589. The Thorn post office opened in 1888, closed in 1923, reopened in 1951, and changed its name to Whitethorn in 1961. The Whitethorn post office is located near Thorn Junction on the road between Shelter Cove and Whitethorn. Some remote areas in northern Mendocino County are also served by this post office and thus have Whitethorn addresses. Whitethorn Elementary School (grades K-7) is located in Whitethorn and is part of the Southern Humboldt Unified School District. Students from the Whitethorn area attend South Fork High School in Miranda. Whale Gulch Elementary (grades K-8) and Whale Gulch High School are about 3 miles (5 km) southeast from Whitethorn. They have Whitethorn addresses, but are located in Mendocino County and are part of the Legget Valley Unified School District. About 1.5 miles (2.5 km) south of central Whitethorn is Redwoods Monastery, a community of Cistercian nuns. The ZIP Code is 95589. The community is inside area code 707.