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.
Norman is a city in and the county seat of Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It is located in central Oklahoma, approximately 20 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City. As of 2009, Norman was estimated to have 106,957 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma. It is the largest city in Cleveland County and is the county’s center for business and employment. In 2008, CNN/Money Magazine ranked Norman as the 6th best small city in the United States, the highest of any city in Oklahoma and the American Southwest. Founded during the Land Run of April 1889, and formally incorporated in 1891, the city’s economy is primarily based on higher education and related research industries. Norman is home to the University of Oklahoma, the largest university in the state with approximately 30,000 students enrolled.