A civil code is acodificationof private law relating tocontracts,property,family, andobligations. Commonly, a state that has acivilcode generally also has a code ofcivil procedure. In some states with a civil code, some core fields of private law would be codified in acommercial code.
The Civil Code of California(CIV) andThe Louisiana Civil Codeare two examples of this.
A civil code is made up ofstatutesthat govern the general obligations and rights of persons within thejurisdiction. For example, the California Civil Codeis divided into four divisions:
- Persons
- Property
- Obligations
- General Provisions
Division 1 contains laws that govern the field of personal rights; Division 2 contains laws that govern property rights; Division 3 codifies rules in California like the regulations relating to agency, mortgages, extensions of credit; Division 4 defines remedies available inlawsuits. The Code is organized similarly to many other civil codes, and many of its provisions are codifications of well-establishedcommon lawprinciples.
[Last updated in July of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
