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.
Gordonville, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated place or village in Leacock Township in eastern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. The village is located about nine miles (14 km) east of the county seat of Lancaster, two miles (3 km) southwest of the village of Intercourse, one mile (1.6 km) north of Paradise, and about three miles (5 km) southeast of Bird-in-Hand. Though the village is little known outside of its immediate area, the surrounding countryside has been portrayed in many books and magazine articles. The Old Order Amish constitute a significant cultural presence in the area of the village. Wendell Berry mentioned the town in one of his collections of essays. The population of Gordonville was about 460 in 1995; its Zip Code postal address of 17529 includes about 4,100 individuals.