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.
Clarksville is a town founded in Mecklenburg County and overlapping across Halifax County in the U.S. state of Virginia, near the southern border of the state. The population was 1,329 at the 2000 census. Since the town has numerous buildings of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century architecture, the downtown area of Clarksville has been designated an Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia's Historic Register. The town is located on Kerr Lake, which is also known as Buggs Island Lake. The 50,000-acre (202 km) lake is popular for boating and fishing; especially for catfish and many varieties of freshwater bass including largemouth bass, striped bass and crappie. The Virginia Lake Festival is held annually at Clarksville during the third weekend of July. The town often attracts approximately 80,000 visitors during this three-day event, formerly and colloquially known as "Lakefest". It culminates with a fireworks show on the lake. The festival has been named among the "Top Twenty Festivals In The Southeast" by the Southeast Tourism Society for many years.