Civil Litigation Criminal Defense とベルーナ

Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, refers to that 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.[1]

In the common law, civil law refers to the area of laws that affect the legal status of individuals. Civil law, in this sense, is usually referred to in comparison to criminal law, which is that body of law involving the state against individuals (including incorporated organizations) where the state relies on the power given it by statutory law. Civil law may also be compared to military law, administrative law and constitutional law (the laws governing the political and law making process), and international law. Where there are legal options for causes of action by individuals within any of these areas of law, it is thereby civil law.

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 and organizations including government departments. An action by an individual (or legal equivalent) against the attorney general is a civil matter, but when the state, being represented by the prosecutor for the attorney general, or some other agent for the state, takes action against an individual (or legal equivalent including a government department), this is public law, not civil law.

The objectives of civil law is 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. If it is an equity matter, there is often a pie for division and it gets allocated by a process of civil law, possibly invoking the doctrines of equity. In public law the objective is usually deterrence, and retribution. The victim, or people secondarily harmed by the wrong, do not get compensated, except with that vague notion called 'closure', and there is no pie for division.

An action in criminal law does not necessarily preclude an action in civil law in common law countries, and may provide a mechanism for compensation to the victims of crime. Such a situation occurred when O.J. Simpson was ordered to pay damages for wrongful death after being acquitted of the criminal charge of murder.

Civil law in common law countries usually refers to both common law and the law of equity, which while now merged in administration, have different traditions, and have historically operated to different doctrines, although this dualism is increasingly being set aside so there is one coherent body of law rationalized around common principles of law.

民事訴訟（みんじそしょう）とは、私人間の生活関係に関する紛争（権利義務に関する争い）につき、私法を適用して解決するための訴訟。具体的には財産に関する紛争（この土地は誰のものか、金を返せ、など）や身分関係に関する紛争などを対象とし、訴訟手続きは民事訴訟法および民事訴訟規則などに基づいて行なわれる。

身分関係（離婚、認知、親子関係の存否など）に関する紛争を解決する訴訟類型については、人事訴訟と呼称する場合がある。

広い意味での民事訴訟には、訴訟によって確定した権利を実行する執行手続（民事執行法により規定）やそのための準備段階にあたる民事保全手続（民事保全法により規定）、および債権債務に関する多数当事者の関係を規律する倒産処理手続もこれに含まれる。

また行政訴訟も民事訴訟に含めて考える場合がある。これは民事訴訟法の規定が原則として行政訴訟にも準用されるためで（行政事件訴訟法第7条）、刑事訴訟法によって規律される刑事訴訟と対比される。

訴えの種類

給付の訴え(給付訴訟)

訴訟物が一定の給付を目的とする訴訟。例としては建物収去土地明渡請求訴訟。訴訟においては基本的な類型である。

現在の給付の訴え

将来の給付の訴え

確認の訴え(確認訴訟)

訴訟物が法律関係の確認を目的とする訴訟。例としては債務不存在確認訴訟。訴訟においては補充的な類型で、一定の要件を満たしたときのみ許容される。詳細については訴えの利益を参照。

積極的確認の訴え