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.
Sperry is an unincorporated community in central Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. It lies along local roads north of the city of Burlington, the county seat of Des Moines County. Its elevation is 751 feet (229 m). Although Sperry is unincorporated, it has a post office with the ZIP code of 52650, which opened on 5 February 1870. The community is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.