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Criminal vs Civil

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Criminal Law vs. Civil Law
There are numerous differences between criminal and civil law. Criminal law is defined as a body of rules and statutes that defines conduct prohibited by the government because it threatens and harms public safety and welfare and that establishes punishment to be imposed for the commission of such acts. (The Free Dictionary by Farlex) Civil law is defined as the body of laws of a state or nation dealing with the rights of private citizens. (The Free Dictionary by Farlex)
In an attempt to explain the difference, you must first understand criminal law. Criminal laws are substantive and divided into categories of misdemeanors and felonies. The primary difference between misdemeanor and felony is the distinct punishments and issues regarding severity. In general, a misdemeanor is a violation of a meager crime. Misdemeanors typically do not involve violent actions or crimes that cause great harm to a society. Common forms of misdemeanors include: resisting arrest, simple battery, shoplifting, public intoxication, and in some states possession and use of marijuana. In contrast, a felony is a serious crime, such as rape, murder, kidnapping, grand theft auto, or assault with a deadly weapon. Convicted felons will undoubtedly face jail time. The Federal Government states that a felony is any act that carries a minimum one-year prison sentence (Difference Between a Misdemeanor and Felony). In criminal law and with criminal court the prosecution is always the state or body of government.
A major difference between criminal and civil is the punishments. In a criminal court if you are found guilty, the punishments are incarceration and/or punitive damages. In contrast, there is never incarceration in civil law. In civil court In a civil case, there is a possibility of punitive damages, if the defendant's conduct is egregious and had either

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