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.
Stillwater is a city in and the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 39,065 at the 2000 census. Founded December 12, 1884 it was the first settlement in the Unassigned Lands. The geographical position of Stillwater is located Northeast of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area though many consider it to be a satellite exburb of Oklahoma City, due to commuter patterns and other indicators. The city of Stillwater is marketing a new census for 2010, implementing a program named "Count Stillwater" to help utilize the students of Oklahoma State University to increase the official population. The census is estimating a population of over 50,000, which would qualify Stillwater as its own Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city of Stillwater is currently developing and implementing a program, named "Count Stillwater". This would attract a significant number of new businesses and restaurants to the City and continue to grow "Oklahoma's fastest growing city."