What is the difference between criminal and civil offense?

Answer 1

1. The plaintiff is always the state or federal government. 2. Punishment may be fine and/or imprisonment. 3. State or federal statutes always establish criminal law. 4. The jury decision in a criminal trial must be unanimous. 5. The burden of proof in a criminal trial is "beyond a reasonable doubt." 6. Only the defendant may appeal in a criminal case. 7. In a criminal case, the defendant is either guilty or not guilty. 1. Both parties may be anybody, including governments, corporations and individuals. 2. The loser in a civil case cannot be imprisoned, even if he or she cannot pay the damages. 3. Civil law is established both through state and federal statutes and through court decisions. 4. In Missouri, the jury decision must be 9-3 for the plaintiff to win. States vary. Federal courts do require an unanimous verdict. 5. The burden of proof in a civil trial is "preponderance of the evidence," which sometimes is defined as "more likely than not." 6. Either party may appeal in a civil case. 7. In a civil case, the plaintiff and the defendant may both be found partially right and partially At Fault.

Answer 2

The first difference starts with what brings about the case. A criminal case is brought about because an individual breaks a state or federal law whereas a civil case is when an individual does wrong to another individual while perhaps not breaking any real state or Federal Laws. The second difference follows in the footsteps of the first; in a criminal case the state or federal government prosecutes the individual and in a civil case the case it brought to court by a citizen to another citizen. The third difference is that in a criminal case the punishment for being found guilty can be jail or as harsh as the death penalty depending on the said crime, but in a civil case the outcome will almost always be reparations paid to the party that brought the case. Someone can, however, have a civil and a criminal case brought on them depending on what they do. For instance, the state can pursue criminal charges against someone for soliciting child pornography and at the same time the parents of the child or children can pursue civil charges.