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.
Fort Hunter is a hamlet in the town of Florida in Montgomery County, New York, on the Mohawk River at Schoharie Creek. In the 18th century, Fort Hunter was the location of one of the two primary Mohawk settlements. The Mohawk name for the village was rendered variously as Teantontalago, Thienderego, Tionondorage, and Tiononderoga. European colonists called it the "Lower Mohawk Castle", while Canajoharie, the other primary Mohawk village, was known as the "Upper Mohawk Castle". The Dongan Charter gave the city of Albany the right to own 1,000 acres here. In 1711, Albany Mayor Peter Schuyler ordered the construction of Fort Hunter, which contained a chapel and mission house. Queen Anne donated a set of communion silver to the mission. Fort Hunter is the site of the old Schoharie Crossing aqueduct, which crosses Schoharie Creek into the hamlet.