Civil & Criminal Litigation

Civil litigation and criminal litigation are two distinct but fundamentally important branches of a country's legal system. Civil litigation is the legal process by which a plaintiff seeks to resolve a private dispute with another party, the defendant. The primary goal is typically to compensate the injured party for harm or to enforce a right, rather than to punish the wrongdoer. Cases in this area involve a wide range of issues, such as contract disputes, personal injury claims, property disputes, and family matters. The standard of proof is generally "preponderance of the evidence," meaning the plaintiff must convince the court that their version of events is more likely than not to be true. The remedies sought in civil cases are typically monetary damages or court orders, such as an injunction, to compel or prevent a specific action.

Criminal litigation, in contrast, is the legal process by which the government, acting as the prosecutor, charges an individual or entity with a crime. The primary purpose is to punish the defendant for an offense against the public or state and to deter future criminal conduct. The burden of proof is significantly higher than in civil cases, requiring the prosecution to prove the defendant's guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt." This higher standard is designed to protect the accused's constitutional rights and prevent wrongful convictions. Criminal cases involve a range of offenses, from misdemeanors like traffic violations to felonies like murder. The penalties for a conviction can include fines, imprisonment, probation, or, in some jurisdictions, the death penalty.