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.
Morganza is an unincorporated community in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. Today, it is home to a few homes and St. Joseph's Catholic Church, which had been in the area since 1759. The current church on Route 5 at the top of the hill was built in 1860 and the Morganza Post Office was established there in 1867, named after the Morgan family. The post office is now located across from Chopticon High School. Morganza was home to two public one-room school houses and the church opened a parochial school for white students in 1926 and for black children in 1927. St. Joseph's original cemetery is located at the bottom of the hill along Route 5 and for many years was forgotten under dense underbrush, but has since been cleared. The current 4-acre cemetery across from St. Joseph's was purchased in 1904.