The main differences between Civil Law and Criminal law are
enumerated below:
Civil
Law
|
Criminal
Law
|
|
Definition:
|
Civil law deals with the disputes
between individuals, organizations, or between the two, in which compensation
is awarded to the victim.
|
Criminal law (also known as penal
law) is the body of statutory and common law that deals with crime and the
legal punishment of criminal offences.
|
Burden of proof:
|
"Preponderance of
evidence" Burden of proof is initially on the plaintiff and then
switches to the defendants.
|
"Beyond a reasonable
doubt": Burden of proof is always on the state/government.
|
Type of punishment:
|
A defendant in civil litigation is never
incarcerated and never executed. Losing defendant in civil litigation only
reimburses the plaintiff for losses caused by the defendant’s behavior.
Either party (plaintiff or defendant) can be found at fault.
|
A
guilty defendant is punished by either incarceration in a jail or fine paid
to the government, or, in exceptional cases, the death penalty. Defendant can
be found guilty or not.
|
Case filed by:
|
Private party
|
Government
|
Appeal:
|
Either party may appeal a
decision in a civil suit.
|
Only the defendant may appeal a
court ruling in a criminal case. The prosecution cannot appeal if the
defendant is found not guilty.
|
Note: The distinction between
civil and criminal law cannot always be maintained because some acts are
considered both as crimes as well as civil wrongs.
