If a traffic tickets a civil offense or a criminal offense?

Question

In other words...do I go to civil court or criminal court? I am studying for a political science exam and am confused about this

Answer 1

In criminal law you have;
1) violations;
2) misdemeanors; and
3) felonies

Violations are minor traffic offenses (criminal) and some other "decriminalized" offenses. This is most often where you see someone getting a "ticket" or summons to court.

Misdemeanors are more serious offenses with a punishment of up to a specific monetary fine and up to one year in jail.

Felonies are the most serious crimes of which you have monetary fines and a minimum of one year and a day to life imprisonment.

Civil court (civil cases) are issues not dealing with a criminal violation. Lawsuits against another who is alleged to have been "liable" for failing to do something.

Another example of a civil issue: If you take your political science exam and pass based upon our responses here....do you owe us money for helping you after providing a service to you!

Child custody and divorce are other examples of civil cases.

Best wishes.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Civil Offense

Answer 4

To say traffic offense is criminal is foolish, i know people who hit and run and never spent a day in jail! a traffic offense is a civil offense, if its done without intention and it caused no harm to anyone else, eg. a parking ticket. A misdemeanor is deliberate like i always see people running a red light or making illegal turns. I guess in this world Hitler and Mother Teresa has the same fate.

Answer 5

A traffic ticket is normally a civil offense, unless it involves something like negligent homicide, which becomes criminal. I think a speeding ticket, or running a stop sign is a civil offense. They have traffic courts for simple traffic violations, including DUI's. It can get tricky, if the offenses continue.

Answer 6

It's criminal.

A criminal case is when the government prosecutes you for breaking the law, whether it's a misdemeanor or felony. There may be a separate traffic court, but it's still a type of criminal court.

Civil court is for lawsuits, where one party seeks legal relief from another.

Answer 7

it all depends on the ticket itself, if the offense was a criminal act or not, dui, hit and run, failure to report an accident, these are criminal, some speeding tickets are criminal traffic court offenses, no insurance, seatbelts type tickets go to traffic court

Answer 8

its criminal and is in municipal court if it is a misdemeanor, and district if a felony. It depends on the citation. Civil means it does not have anything to do with city or state ordinance. Some traffic violations are misdemeanors such as 1st DUI's and moving violations. I guess it has a lot to do with where it occurred also.

Answer 9

The traffic ticket citation itself is a criminal offense. If the reason that you got the ticket is because you hit another person and injured him. The other person can sue you, and that PI suit is a civil matter.

Another example: Bankrupcy fraud is a federal criminal matter persecuted in federal court. But declaring Bankrupcy is a federal civil matter handeled in federal bankrupcy court.

Answer 10

Some traffic offenses are misdemeanors and some are criminal. When I got a ticket for having a license expired by more than 5 months I had to go to criminal court. In Florida that is a felony. They dropped tha charges upon my proof of having a new current license. Other criminal offenses are DUI, leaving the scene of an accident causing death or bodily harm etc.

Running a stop sign, speeding etc. is a misdemeanor handled in county court..