Year 8 Australia Civics and Citizenship Practice Exam

Civil law deals with private relationships and disputes between individuals, organizations, or both. It covers areas like contracts, property, family matters, and torts (causes of action like negligence). In civil cases, the goal is to resolve a private dispute or compensate someone for harm, not to punish the offender with jail. This is different from criminal law, which deals with crimes against the community and is pursued by the state, often resulting in penalties such as imprisonment. Public law covers the relationship between individuals and the government, including how government bodies operate and protect rights, and constitutional law sets up the structure of government and fundamental rights. So, the term that labels the body of law governing private relations is civil law.