In the eyes of the law, any individual facing criminal or civil charges is recognized as a defendant. Plaintiff files a document (a complaint or a petition) with the clerk of the court stating the reasons why the plaintiff is suing the defendant and what action the plaintiff desires the court to take. Soon after each the plaintiff and defendant present their version of events, a judge or jury will make a decision whose story is a lot more plausible.
In criminal law, a guilty defendant is punished by either (1) incarceration in a jail or prison, (two) fine paid to the government, or, in exceptional situations, (three) execution of the defendant: the death penalty. In a civil suit, the plaintiff have to prove that it is probable that the defendant is legally responsible, or liable, simply because a civil case is decided on a balance of probabilities.
The Right to a Speedy Trial: It can take years before a plaintiff of a civil suit receives a day in court with the defendant, but a defendant of a criminal case has a right to a speedy trial below legal protections that are provided to criminal defendants. When a civil lawsuit involves many parties (i.e. exactly where three individual plaintiffs sue 1 defendant, or one plaintiff sues two separate defendants), attorneys representing every celebration might give their personal distinct opening arguments. In most civil circumstances, the plaintiff will seek some sort of financial compensation for the alleged offense.
In civil litigation, the plaintiff wins if the preponderance of the evidence favors the plaintiff. In its case-in-chief, the plaintiff methodically sets forth its evidence in an attempt to convince the jury that the defendant is legally accountable for the plaintiff’s damages, or that judgment for the plaintiff is warranted below the circumstances. If the judge agrees that there is not enough evidence to rule against the defendant, the judge rules in favor of the defendant, and the case ends. A person can also be involved in a civil lawsuit with a government entity, such as a state, county, or city.
Following they have reviewed the record, Court of Appeals judges could hear oral arguments from the attorneys just before deciding the case and issuing an opinion. The Proper to Remain Silent: A defendant in a criminal case has the suitable to remain silent when they are questioned by the prosecutor, but a defendant in a civil case is not protected by this right. Because crimes are mandated by state and/or federal law, the second celebration in a criminal case is not another individual, but a representative of the state—this individual is known as the prosecutor. A landlord who sues a former tenant, for instance, would be an example of a civil dispute.
