Civil law

In the common law, civil law refers to the area of law involving relations between private individuals and/or organisations. Civil law is sometimes referred to as Private Law as distinct from Public Law. In general terms, public law involves interrelations between the state and the general population, whereas civil (private) law involves interactions between private citizens. The concept of private law in common law countries is a little more broad, in that it also encompasses private relationships between governments and private individuals or other entities. That is, relationships between governments and individuals based on the law of contract or torts are governed by private law, and are not considered to be within the scope of public law.