if a person kidnaps your kid, treats them terribly, threatens the parents to kill them unless paid 2 million dollars, puts the kid in a coma, but is caught, how much could the parents sue them for and how long would they be in jail (this did not happen to me-just wondering)
2006-10-03 05:08:26 · 10 answers · asked by maconheira 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
You are confusing the civil justice system with the criminal justice system. The punishments doled out in the criminal justice system include going to prison. This is NOT the case for the civil justice system. Lawsuits are filed in civil court. The remedies for tort (wrong committed against the defendent) are monetary. There can be compensation for actual damages -- lost wages, health care costs, etc. as well as for punitive damages -- pain and suffering, emotional anguish, etc.
In your example, the amount "sued for" would be determined at the time of filing the suit. It is largely an arbitrary figure although they have to show some reasonable relationship to the damages above. What a jury would award if it went to trial is another matter altogether. As the other posters have mentioned, it is highly unlikely that the person in question would have the financial resources to pay very much anyway, particularly if they are incarcerated.
2006-10-03 05:21:26 · answer #1 · answered by jurydoc 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Unless the offending party has a huge bank account, expect any lawyer discussing this case with the parents that a $20,000 retainer for upfront charges, with no guarantees, is the offer on the table at the initial consultation.
You can do-it-yourself in small claims court, but there is a limit to what you can sue for. Seems to me it was $5,000 or less.
Kidnapping, alone, is a capital crime before the other circumstances are considered.
2006-10-03 12:24:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
they would be in prison so I guess you could sue but you would not get much, the only way that you possible could is if this person had a ton of money before this then maybe, but really how many rich people would do this, usually the the people with that kind of money do not commit crimes like that.
2006-10-03 14:21:33 · answer #3 · answered by suri cruise 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why would you even think about suing? Do you really think you are going to get anything out of the criminal??? No, you aren't. You let the courts take care of it. He/she would be in jail for a LONG time.
2006-10-03 12:51:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How much can you get out of a poor person rotting in jail?
2006-10-03 12:12:09 · answer #5 · answered by This Is Not Honor 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would hope it never happened , I would be looking in the million's figuar and LIFE LIFE LIFE for the person that done it, or i would be doing life for killing them for doing it to my child
2006-10-03 12:17:55 · answer #6 · answered by chass_lee 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
just wondering?? What kind of a warped mind do you have? They wouldn't see jail in my town, they would just kinda - disappear, ya that's it, disappear . . .
2006-10-03 12:32:41 · answer #7 · answered by dogriver 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Suing someone that has no ability to pay is pointless.
2006-10-03 12:12:26 · answer #8 · answered by Carp 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Nothing- prisioners have no real income
2006-10-03 12:16:21 · answer #9 · answered by Mopar Muscle Gal 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
nenver sue n e one its jus gay!!
2006-10-03 12:40:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋