If you haven’t had much experience with an attorney, you might not know exactly what type attorney you will need for your case. This can be especially true for cases that cross the line of civil law and criminal law. So how do you know if you should seek out a criminal law attorney or civil law, or if you will need both?
We have listed the differences between the two types of laws and when you should pursue each one.
What is Civil Law?
According to Cornell Law School, “civil law […] is a branch of law that regulates the non-criminal rights, duties of persons, and equal legal relations between private individuals.” This means that one person is suing another person, business, or other entity. This can include family disputes and divorces, personal injury, medical malpractice, etc.
What is Criminal Law?
Criminal law deals with any sort of crime and decides a punishment for the suspects. This type of law is heavily involved with law enforcement. They are also often performed in court with a trial, jury, and judge. This is usually for crimes like theft, assault, murder, etc.
One of the main differences between the two types of law is the end result. Criminal law cases often end with someone paying a fine or experiencing jail or prison time. Civil law usually ends with one person being ordered to pay out, often through their insurance.
Depending on your case, you could have a civil law and criminal law attorney. This is often advisable with sexual assault cases. Criminal cases bring the case to light with the public and charge the defendant with a crime. The civil case is to gain financial compensation for losses.
These are two different legal processes, meaning you will most likely need two different attorneys, two cases processes, and two results. They most likely will not be involved with each other at all.
FLICKINGER BOULTON ROBSON WEEKS
If you or a loved one have been injured in any fashion by someone else, you might need help with an attorney. At Flickinger Boulton Robson Weeks, we will have you navigate through the whole legal process. You can call for a free consultation at 801-500-4000. You can also visit us at one of our two locations in Provo or South Jordan.
