The U.S. court system has two broad categories: civil and criminal. A criminal lawyer in Cambridge, MD defends people against charges brought by the government represented by a district attorney. Although the offense typically has harmed another person or group of people, the prosecution represents “the people” of a jurisdiction or state. Civil cases generally involve a person or entity who purports to have been harmed now filing suit against the alleged wrongdoer. The one filing the suit is known as the plaintiff.
Potential Consequences of Civil Cases
A successful civil suit can cost the defendant a great deal of money or property. An individual may sue a business if they were seriously injured there due to negligence, for example. A business can also sue an individual. The foreclosure process starts when a bank or other lender sues the borrower for not keeping up with payments on real estate.
Standards of Evidence
Civil cases have a lower standard of required evidence than criminal cases do. When someone is charged with a crime, the prosecution must be able to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Essentially, that means a jury would decide there is no other reasonable explanation for how the crime happened other than the defendant having committed it. The idea that someone else committed the offense hardly seems possible. Having an Ocean City Lawyer for defense is crucial when the evidence against the defendant is strong.
In contrast, in a civil case, only a preponderance of evidence is required. This means a judge or a jury would decide it’s most likely that the defendant is responsible for the harm done. These cases are usually decided by a judge, whereas criminal trials are usually decided by juries.
Potential Consequences of Criminal Cases
Although civil lawsuit situations can be scary and traumatizing, only criminal charges can lead to a prison sentence. People need a criminal lawyer in Cambridge, MD if there is any risk of incarceration, as the attorney may be able to prevent that type of sentence or have it reduced from the worst possible consequences. Aggressive legal representation can be provided by an attorney such as Marc A. Zeve.
