Judicial matters can often become confusing in terms of litigation; the differences between civil and criminal proceedings are as follows:
Civil law suits can vary from tenant/landlord disputes to wrongful death claims. Those who bring about civil judgments are called “plaintiffs’ while the accused parties are called “defendants.’ One of the major differences between civil and criminal law is that defendants in civil litigation are never subject to jail time. The common denominator in most civil claims is the amount of revenue to be awarded or reimbursed to the plaintiff, which falls under the category of punitive damages. Smaller claims are handled by a residing arbitrator, as opposed to larger claims that may require a judge, jury, and proper representation.
Criminal cases such as arson, assault, murder, or sexual crimes are handled through due process. The accused will initially be arrested and given Miranda rights; depending on the nature of the crime, bail will either be set or remanded. If the case is brought to trial, prosecuting counsel will attempt to convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty. Following a jury deliberated verdict, the defendant will either be set free or spend time behind bars.