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.
Ocean Isle Beach is a town located in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 426 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the southern end of North Carolina's Atlantic Ocean coastline, with access to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Ocean Isle Beach has many beach houses and second homes, and is a tourist attraction because of its beauty, atmosphere, and proximity to other major beach towns. On October 28, 2007, the tiny, normally quiet community found itself in worldwide news as an early Sunday morning four-alarm fire at a three-story beach house occupied by 13 college students claimed seven lives, injuring six more. Widespread publicity and the magnitude of the tragedy of the Ocean Isle Beach house fire renewed public interest on issues in many communities which included fire safety, building codes, flamability of materials, and fire suppression methods such as sprinkler systems, as well as the potential benefits of monitored fire alarm systems, which can be added to existing structures at relatively minimal costs.