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.
Bowling Green is the fourth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kentucky after Louisville, Lexington, and Owensboro. The population was 55,097 in 2008. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2007 population of 116,001. Bowling Green was founded in 1798 after Robert and George Moore donated an additional 30 acres (120,000 m) to 40 acres (160,000 m) to the Warren County trustees. The land surrounded the 2-acre (8,100 m) plot they had donated for the construction of public buildings. Bowling Green was the provisional capital of the Confederate government of Kentucky. In 2003, Bowling Green and its surrounding communities were designated as a "metropolitan area". General Motors has an assembly plant in Bowling Green in which all Chevrolet Corvettes have been constructed since 1981 and Cadillac XLRs were being built there until production ended in the spring of 2009. Other significant businesses in Bowling Green include Fruit of the Loom, Houchens Industries, Holley Performance Products, and Camping World. The third largest Kentucky public university, Western Kentucky University, is situated upon a hill in central Bowling Green. Its athletic teams are called Hilltoppers.