What is similar and different about the civil and criminal court system?

Answer 1

no clue

Answer 2

Crimes are handled in criminal court. Crimes are defined as wrongs committed by an individual, against society norms where the law provides the wrong doer to make satisfaction to the public. Usually, laws are on the books in black and white to define such acts and determine punishments. The governmental unit brings the charges (ie, The State vs. xxx), and someone usually goes to jail (or fined, probation, prison).

Disputes are handled in civil courts. The courts are asked to resolve a conflict between two parties. The plaintiff and defendent are usually two individuals, not the government. Civil courts usually use past practices to determine if one party has damaged another party. No one goes to jail over civil chages - usually some sort of retribution is prescribed.

Answer 3

Similar: Both use evidence, testimony, juries, a judge, exhibits, and are decided wy a group of people (or a judge)

Different: A civil trial's decision is either "liable" or "not liable"
A civil trial cannot send a person to jail, prison, or death.
A civil trial's jury has to reach their decision "be a preponderance of the evidence" a lower standard than in a criminal trial.
The result in a civil trial is called a "judgement."


A criminal trial determines "guilty" or "not-guilty"
The decision is known as a verdict.
A criminal trial jury must reach their verdict "beyond a reasonable doubt" a higher standard than "a preponderance of the evidence."
A criminal trial can sentence a person to jail, prison, death, probation, etc...

Answer 4

Criminal court determines if you have broken a law. Decision requires all twelve jurors.

Civil court concerns posession of money or property and money damages. Evidence need not be concrete. If the evidence SEEMS TO SHOW a certain thing, it is acceptable. Decision only requires a majority vote of the jurors.

Answer 5

Criminal cases are decided based upon guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or a 95% probability you did it. Civil cases are decided on the preponderance of the evidence or there is a 51% chance you did it.

Answer 6

Rules of evidence are similar, rules of procedure are somewhat similar in some instances. Judges and jurys are similar in some ways. Rule of law is similar in certain counts or claims.

Burdern of Proof is different of course.

Also in civil actions, the result is a money issue most of the time, where in criminal, it is going to result in some sort of jail time, probation or community service.