What is the difference between civil cases and criminal cases_
A Levels Academy Islamabad
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00:00It wouldn't make sense for a defendant in a contract dispute to have the same kind of trial as, say, Jason.
00:07That's why the courts in this country split cases into two categories, civil and criminal.
00:13A civil case is when one person, the plaintiff, brings legal action against another person who has allegedly wronged them,
00:21the defendant, with the intent of collecting damages.
00:25Damages equals money.
00:28A criminal case is where a government prosecutes someone to prove them guilty of committing a crime, like a car thief.
00:35The victim of this crime is often a witness in the government's case against the accused, as well as any eyewitnesses.
00:42In a civil case, the court can judge that a defendant owes the plaintiff money or other property or must perform a service that was promised.
00:51Mostly, though, it's money – reimbursement, compensation, or punitive damages.
00:56However, a judge in a civil case cannot send a defendant to jail, barring a few exceptions, usually regarding the intentional violation of court orders.
01:06In a criminal case, either the prosecutor or a grand jury initiates the proceedings.
01:11Punishment for guilty defendants can range from fines, community service, or educational classes,
01:18to much more serious consequences, such as jail time.
01:22And anyone, including the defendant, can be called as a witness in a civil case.
01:28Whereas in a criminal case, they cannot be forced to.
01:31Also, criminal cases generally have a higher burden of proof than civil cases.
01:36This is mainly because a person's freedom is at stake.
01:39Prosecutors have to work that much harder to show guilt.
01:43They must prove that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
01:46A plaintiff in a civil case, however, only needs to prove that they should win by a preponderance of the evidence.
01:52Preponderance just means the greater amount, or weight, of the evidence, when taking into account the believability of that evidence.
02:01For more details on the differences between types of cases, or anything having to do with court in any way, LegalYou is your go-to resource.