Private law (Civil law) is that part of a legal system that involves relationships between individuals. It is distinguished from public law, which in general terms, public law involves interrelations between the state and the general population, whereas private law involves interactions between private citizens.
The concept of private law in common law countries is a little more broad, in that it also encompasses private relationships between governments and private individuals or other entities. That is, relationships between governments and individuals based on the law of contract or torts are governed by private law, and are not considered to be within the scope of public law.
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