Civil law involves a private lawsuit between two or more parties. Examples of civil cases include personal injury and business disputes. Criminal matters involve a matter between the state or federal government and a citizen or corporation who has been accused of committing an act that has been classified as a crime by statute. A Criminal action is a public action because the state or federal government prosecutes crimes on behalf of the general public in the jurisdiction they serve. In criminal law, the action is initiated by the state or federal government through a prosecutor rather than being initiated by the victim, as it is in civil law. The burden of proof is also different in civil and criminal law. Plaintiffs in a civil law suit only need to show by a preponderance of the evidence that a defendant is 51% or more liable (responsible) for the damages. In a criminal matter the defendant does not have to prove that he is innocent. But rather, the prosecutor has to prove to the judge or jury “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the defendant is guilty of the crime charged. This burden is very high.
Lastly, the remedies in civil court are generally limited to money damages. The remedies in criminal court may involve a money fine and/or a prison sentence.
