civil law
civil law — noun
1. the area of law that handles disagreements between individuals or companies over
the area of law that handles disagreements between individuals or companies over matters such as contracts, property damage, and family relationships, rather than dealing with criminal acts.
After their car accident, the two drivers ended up in civil law, not criminal court.
contrast: civil law vs criminal court
The lawyer told us that disputes over unpaid rent fall under civil law.
Emma studied civil law because she wanted to help families with custody cases.
A judge trained in civil law handles claims for broken agreements and personal injuries.
Most disputes about wills and inheritances are resolved through civil law.
- private law
broader term covering civil law as well as commercial law; less commonly used in everyday speech
- criminal law
the system that deals with crimes and punishment rather than private disputes
用法筆記
Often contrasted with criminal law, which deals with offences against the state.
常見錯誤
2. the collection of laws created in ancient Rome, especially the systematic code p
the collection of laws created in ancient Rome, especially the systematic code produced under the emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD.
The Justinian code became the foundation of civil law across much of Europe.
collocation: foundation of civil law
Henry's university course on legal history began with Roman civil law and the Twelve Tables.
Scholars spent centuries studying and translating the ancient civil law texts from Rome.
The emperor ordered a single written code to unify all Roman civil law for the empire.
- Roman law
the same body of ancient law; 'civil law' is a traditional English name for it
- Justinian code
specifically the 6th-century compilation, not the whole tradition
用法筆記
This historical sense is used mainly in academic or legal-history contexts.
3. a system of law based on Roman legal principles and written codes, used in most
a system of law based on Roman legal principles and written codes, used in most European countries, Japan, and parts of the Americas, as opposed to the common law system used in England and the United States.
France and Germany both follow the civil law system, while the UK follows common law.
contrast: civil law vs common law
When doing business in Japan, Wei had to learn how contracts work under civil law.
Louisiana is the only US state that uses civil law instead of common law.
Judges in a civil law system rely on legal codes rather than past court decisions.
- continental law
emphasises the geographic origin in continental Europe
- Romano-Germanic law
the technical academic name for this legal family
- common law
the legal system based on court precedents, used in England, the US, and other English-speaking countries
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (private disputes): this sense describes a whole legal system or tradition — such as French or German law — as opposed to the common law tradition. See also common law.
常見錯誤
4. the law that a particular country or state creates and applies within its own te
the law that a particular country or state creates and applies within its own territory, as opposed to international law or the law of another jurisdiction.
International courts only hear cases when the country's own civil law cannot provide justice.
contrast: domestic vs international law
Each state in Mexico has its own civil law, but federal law applies nationwide.
Rohan's research compared how different nations define citizenship in their civil law.
A treaty can take effect only after each country changes its own civil law to match it.
- municipal law
formal legal term for the domestic law of a state
- national law
more general term that avoids the ambiguity of 'civil law'
- international law
rules governing relations between countries rather than within one
用法筆記
In international law contexts, 'civil law' can refer to any country's domestic legal rules, whether the country follows a civil-law or common-law tradition.