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.
Bitely (do to a typographical error it is sometimes misspelled Biteley) is an unincorporated community within Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is within Lilley Township about one mile west of M-37 in the Manistee National Forest. It is near Bitely Lake, Lamoreaux Lake, Isaac Lake and several smaller lakes. It was a station on the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad in 1889, and given a post office on September 13, 1889, with Archer D. Martin as its first postmaster. It was named for Steven Bitely, who built a sawmill here, but do to a typographical error the post office was initially spelled as Biteley. Bitely is at 43°44′49″N 85°51′42″W / 43.74694°N 85.86167°W / 43.74694; -85.86167. The Bitely ZIP code is 49309, and also serves all of Lilley Township, as well as most of Troy Township to the west and Home Township to the east, and portions of Beaver Township to the southwest, Merrill Township to the south, Monroe Township to the southeast, Pleasant Plains Township to the north, and Yates Township to the northeast.