I.

Introduction

Civil Law, term applied to a legal tradition originating in ancient Rome and to the contemporary legal systems based on this tradition. Modern civil law systems, which were originally developed in Western European countries, have spread throughout the world. Civil law is typically contrasted with common law, a system that evolved in medieval England and that is the basis of law in most of the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Civil law was the tradition followed by European scholars who developed the law for many nations, as well as the system of international law used worldwide today.

The term civil law also applies to all legal proceedings (whether taking place in a civil law or a common law system) that are not criminal in nature (see Criminal Law). Under this definition laws regulating marriage, contracts, and payment for personal injury are examples of civil law.